Email Settings GuideQuick answer: HostPapa email sits on cPanel. IMAP runs on port 993 with SSL, POP3 on port 995 with SSL and SMTP on port 465 or 587. The server is mail.yourdomain.com on a hosting plan. Basic and Advanced Email use mail.papamail.net instead. The username is your full email address and the password is the email account password you set in cPanel. Not sure which product you have? Check here.
What Changed Recently#
How a host wants you to sign in shifts more often than the server names do. Here is the current status for HostPapa and what it means for your setup.
Worth knowing
The username is the full address. HostPapa rejects the cPanel username on its own. Type you@yourdomain.com in full on the incoming and the outgoing server.
Worth knowing
Two products use two server names. A hosting plan uses mail.yourdomain.com. The standalone Basic and Advanced Email uses mail.papamail.net. Pick the one that matches your product.
Worth knowing
Leave Secure Password Authentication off. HostPapa does not use SPA. If a mail app has that tick box, keep it clear or the login fails.
Before You Begin#
Sort these two items before anything else. If you skip them, your email app will reject the connection even when every server value is correct.
1. Create the mailbox
Add the address under Email Accounts in cPanel and set its password there. That password is what your apps use.
Where: cPanel then Email Accounts
2. Know your server name
A hosting plan uses mail.yourdomain.com. Basic and Advanced Email uses mail.papamail.net. Confirm which product you have.
Where: Find your server name →
About HostPapa Mail#
HostPapa is an independent Canadian web host founded in 2006 and based in Burlington, Ontario. Its hosting plans run on cPanel and on green energy, so a hosting mailbox lives on your own server.
HostPapa has served small businesses since 2006 and runs its data centres on renewable energy. The one thing to know for email is which product you have. A hosting plan uses mail.yourdomain.com, while the standalone Basic and Advanced Email uses mail.papamail.net. Both sign in with the full address and the mailbox password.
| Service Name | HostPapa Email |
| Mail System | cPanel on your server |
| Owned By | HostPapa |
| Founded | 2006 |
| Headquarters | Burlington, Canada |
| Email Type | Custom domains, such as you@yourdomain.com |
| Webmail URL | mail.yourdomain.com |
| Email Products | Hosting email, Basic, Advanced |
| Protocols Supported | IMAP, POP3, SMTP |
| App Password Needed | Only if 2FA is on |
| Username | Full email address |
HostPapa Webmail Login#
You can always read your mail in a browser. The official sign in pages are:
Find Your Server Name#
IMAP is ready as soon as the mailbox exists, so nothing needs switching on. The value to confirm is the server name. HostPapa uses one of two depending on the product.
On a hosting plan
Use mail.yourdomain.com for incoming and outgoing. cPanel also shows a server host such as one ending in hostpapa.com under Connect Devices, which carries a matching certificate.
On Basic or Advanced Email
HostPapa\'s standalone email service uses mail.papamail.net for incoming and outgoing. Its webmail sits at the same address.
HostPapa IMAP Settings#
IMAP is the incoming choice HostPapa recommends. It keeps mail on the server, so a laptop and a phone share one inbox. Use mail.yourdomain.com on a hosting plan or mail.papamail.net on Basic and Advanced Email.
| IMAP Server | mail.yourdomain.com | |
| Port | 993 | |
| Encryption | SSL/TLS (required) | |
| Username | Your full email address, including @yourdomain.com | |
| Password | Your email account password | |
| Authentication | Required |
HostPapa POP3 Settings#
POP3 downloads mail to 1 device. Pick it only if you want a local copy on a single computer. Not sure? See the comparison below.
| POP3 Server | mail.yourdomain.com | |
| Port | 995 | |
| Encryption | SSL/TLS (required) | |
| Username | Your full email address | |
| Password | Your email account password |
HostPapa SMTP Settings#
SMTP handles outgoing mail. If you can read mail but not send it, the problem is here.
| SMTP Server | mail.yourdomain.com | |
| Port (SSL) | 465 | |
| Port (STARTTLS) | 587 | |
| Encryption | SSL or STARTTLS (required) | |
| Username | Your full email address | |
| Password | Same as incoming mail | |
| Authentication | Required. Enable outgoing server authentication in the client. |
465 with SSL or 587 with STARTTLS. Home networks block port 25 nearly everywhere. HostPapa also allows port 26 if your provider blocks the usual ones.
Check HostPapa IMAP Settings Online#
You don't need to download anything to check HostPapa IMAP settings online. This page is the lookup: every value is verified, current and copyable straight from your browser. Not sure your address uses HostPapa servers? Type it below and find out instantly.
Does my email address use these settings?
Runs in your browser only. Your address is never sent anywhere or stored.
Want to verify the account itself before configuring an app? Sign in at HostPapa webmail, which confirms your address and password work, then confirm an app password exists. If both pass, any email app connects with the tables above.
Look Up IMAP Settings for Any Email Domain#
This page covers HostPapa. For every other address, work email on a company domain included, we run a free online lookup database: imapsettings.com.
imapsettings.com
Complete email settings database, by Univik
Enter any email address and get the incoming and outgoing server settings for that domain in 1 step:
Your address is used only to find the settings for that domain. Nothing is stored or shared.
Username and Password#
Two rules cover the sign in. The username is always the full email address. The password is the one you chose for that mailbox in cPanel. HostPapa does not use an app password on a standard plan.
Username is the full address
Enter you@yourdomain.com in full, including the part after the at sign. The cPanel username on its own is rejected.
Use the same address for incoming and outgoing.
Password is the mailbox one
This is the password you set under Email Accounts in cPanel, not your cPanel login. Reset it there if a client keeps refusing it.
If your account has two factor sign in on, generate an app password in cPanel and use that instead.
Set Up HostPapa in Email Clients#
The servers and ports are always the same. Only the menus differ. Jump to your app:
Outlook (Windows and Mac)
- In Outlook pick Add Account, then turn on manual setup under Advanced options.
- Choose IMAP and enter your HostPapa server name on 993 with SSL for incoming.
- Use that same server for sending on 465 SSL or 587 STARTTLS.
- Sign in with the full address and mailbox password. Leave any SPA box clear.
- Send yourself a test line to confirm both directions.
Apple Mail (macOS)
- In Mail choose Add Account, then Other Mail Account.
- Enter your name, HostPapa address and password, then continue.
- Fill the server name with SSL on both incoming and outgoing.
- Check the secure ports so nothing leaves unencrypted.
- Save and let the mailbox load.
iPhone and iPad
- Open Settings and go to Mail, then Mail Accounts and Add Account.
- Choose Other then Add Mail Account and fill your details.
- Keep IMAP selected and put your HostPapa server name in both fields.
- Leave the secure ports iOS fills, since HostPapa expects SSL.
- Tap Save and let iOS run its check.
Android
- Open your mail app and choose Add account, then the IMAP or Other option.
- Enter your address and password. Switch to manual setup if it stalls.
- Incoming is your HostPapa server name on 993 with SSL.
- Sending uses that server on 465 SSL or 587 STARTTLS.
- Save and swipe down to fetch your mail.
Thunderbird
- Open Thunderbird and use Account Actions, then Add Mail Account.
- Type your name, HostPapa address and password, then Continue.
- Let it probe, then confirm IMAP with SSL is set.
- If the probe misses, enter the server name by hand.
- Hit Done. The folders load on the first sync.
HostPapa Webmail Settings#
Server settings connect your apps. The controls here shape how the mailbox acts by itself. They live in HostPapa webmail, which runs Roundcube at yourdomain.com/webmail or mail.papamail.net.
Signature
Set one up in the webmail preferences. It shows on mail sent from webmail. A desktop app such as Outlook stores its signature on its own.
Vacation Auto Reply
Add an autoresponder in cPanel and give it a start and end date. The server delivers it, so it works even with your computer shut.
Filters and Folders
Build filters under Email Filters in cPanel. A server rule sorts a message before any app fetches it. An app side rule fires only when that app happens to be running.
Spam and Blocked Senders
HostPapa runs SpamAssassin on incoming mail. Adjust the score and block addresses inside cPanel. Anything it catches lands in the junk folder to check.
POP3 vs IMAP#
| Feature | IMAP | POP3 |
|---|---|---|
| Where mail lives | On the HostPapa server | Downloaded to 1 device |
| Multiple devices | ✅ Everything stays in sync | ❌ Each device sees different mail |
| Sent and deleted mail | ✅ Synced everywhere | ⚠️ Stays only on that device |
| Offline reading | ⚠️ Cached mail only | ✅ Full local copy |
| Server storage used | Yes, counts against your quota | Can be freed after download |
| Best for | Phone + computer, everyday use | Single PC, local archives |
HostPapa Sending and Storage Limits#
HostPapa caps outgoing mail on shared plans to keep its servers off blocklists. Learn the rough figures before you bulk forward or move a mailbox:
| Emails per hour | Capped on shared plans |
| Recipients per message | Set by HostPapa policy |
| Attachment size | Large files bounce, share a link |
| Mailbox storage | Set by your hosting plan |
| Outgoing ports | 465, 587 or 26 |
| At the limit | Sending pauses for a while |
Troubleshooting HostPapa Connections#
Find the exact error your email app shows, then apply the fix:
| Error you see | What it means | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Username or password rejected | Used the cPanel name or SPA is on | Enter the full email address as the username with the mailbox password. Clear any SPA tick box too. |
| Server not found | Wrong server for the product | A hosting plan uses mail.yourdomain.com. Basic and Advanced Email uses mail.papamail.net. |
| Basic or Advanced Email not receiving | MX record not pointed to papamail | That service starts once the MX record points at the papamail servers. On HostPapa nameservers it is automatic. |
| Webmail login fails at yourdomain.com/webmail | Using the wrong webmail for the product | Basic and Advanced Email signs in at mail.papamail.net. The yourdomain.com/webmail address is for hosting account email. |
| Cannot connect to server | Wrong port or encryption | Set 993 with SSL in and 465 or 587 out. A firewall on the machine can also sit in the way. |
| Repeated password prompt | Wrong username or SPA left on | Clear the saved login, then enter the full address with the mailbox password and no SPA. |
| Messages stuck in Outbox | SMTP authentication is off | Enable "outgoing server requires authentication" with the same login as incoming mail. |
Reader Reported Fixes
Type the full email address as the username. A rejected login on HostPapa nearly always comes from entering the cPanel username or the name before the at sign. The username has to be the complete you@yourdomain.com address on both incoming and outgoing.
Clear the SPA box. Some mail apps switch on Secure Password Authentication by habit. HostPapa does not use it, so an otherwise correct account fails until you untick that box in the account settings.
Which HostPapa Email Do You Have?#
This is the single point that trips people up. HostPapa runs two separate email systems. Each one uses its own server name. Getting the right one is the difference between a mailbox that connects and one that never does.
Hosting account email
The mailboxes you make inside cPanel on a web hosting plan. They run on your own server and use mail.yourdomain.com with Roundcube webmail at yourdomain.com/webmail.
This is what most hosting customers use.
Basic or Advanced Email
A standalone service on HostPapa\'s papamail platform, priced per user and separate from web hosting. It uses mail.papamail.net, with webmail at the same address. Advanced adds 5GB per mailbox plus calendars, contacts and file sharing.
This is not cPanel. It is a different platform.
How to tell in a minute
Sign in to the HostPapa Dashboard and open My Services, then expand the Email panel. A Basic or Advanced Email entry means you are on papamail.net. An empty panel means you use the hosting account email on mail.yourdomain.com.
Moving Mail In or Out?#
HostPapa mail runs on plain IMAP, so a mailbox moves in or out like any cPanel account. The server keeps every folder until the move is done.
Save a copy first. Back up the mailbox before a move. A note that shows up during the switch can sit on either side. A copy keeps you covered.
Carrying mail across? The Univik Email Migration Tool carries every folder over on an IMAP link. Put your HostPapa server name and mailbox password on the HostPapa side and the other account opposite.
Rather hand it over? Our Email Migration Services team runs the full move and confirms every folder landed.
Use These Settings in Univik Email Backup#
The same IMAP settings above let you download your complete HostPapa mailbox to your computer. Univik Email Backup saves everything as PST, MBOX, EML or PDF files you keep forever, even if the account closes.
- Download Univik Email Backup and install it on Windows.
- Select HostPapa from the source list. If it isn't listed by name, choose IMAP.
- Enter the whole email address with your mailbox password. The part after the at sign has to be there too.
- When the tool wants server details, give your HostPapa server name on port 993 with SSL for the HostPapa side., use your HostPapa server on port
993with SSL, taken from the IMAP table above. - Pick a saving format and folder, then start the backup. Large mailboxes download in the background.
Univik Tools That Use These Settings#
Many people land here while migrating or archiving a mailbox. All 3 tools use the same IMAP settings from this page:
Email Backup
Download your complete HostPapa mailbox to PST, MBOX, EML or PDF before switching or closing the account.
Email Backup Tool →
Email Migration Tool
Copy every folder from HostPapa straight into Gmail, Microsoft 365 or any other account. No manual export needed.
Email Migration Tool →
Email Converter Tool
Already have MBOX, EML or OST files from an old export? Convert them to PST, PDF or any format your new app opens.
Email Converter Tool →Prefer to hand the whole migration to experts?
If the server names and passwords look like a chore, you can skip doing it by hand. Univik's migration team handles the complete project: planning, transfer, verification and a report showing every folder made it. Since 2013, for single mailboxes up to full company moves.
Email Settings Glossary#
IMAP
Internet Message Access Protocol. Reads mail that stays on the server, so all your devices see the same inbox, folders and read status.
POP3
Post Office Protocol version 3. Downloads mail to 1 device and can remove it from the server. Older method, still useful for local archives.
SMTP
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. Sends your outgoing mail. Every account needs it next to IMAP or POP3, which only receive.
SSL / TLS / STARTTLS
Encryption for the connection. SSL/TLS encrypts from the start (ports 993, 995, 465). STARTTLS upgrades a plain connection (port 587).
App Password
A stand in code for a mail app, used instead of your password. HostPapa asks for one only if you have switched on two factor sign in.
papamail.net
The mail server for HostPapa\'s standalone Basic and Advanced Email. Its webmail also lives at mail.papamail.net.
Secure Password Authentication
An older login method, shown as SPA in some apps. HostPapa does not use it, so the box must stay clear.
cPanel
The control panel HostPapa uses for hosting email. You add mailboxes, set passwords and read server settings here.
Roundcube
The webmail app HostPapa offers in a browser for reading mail without a desktop client.
Basic and Advanced Email
HostPapa\'s standalone email plans, separate from web hosting. They use the mail.papamail.net server rather than mail.yourdomain.com.
Email Accounts
The cPanel screen where you create a mailbox and set its password. That password is the one your mail app uses.
SpamAssassin
The cPanel spam filter. Tune its score and block unwanted senders from the HostPapa mail tools.
papamail Platform
The system behind Basic and Advanced Email. It is separate from cPanel and serves its own webmail with calendars and file sharing.
My Services
The Dashboard panel that lists your email products. A Basic or Advanced entry means you are on papamail.net.
MX Record
The DNS record that routes mail to a server. Basic and Advanced Email starts working once this points at the papamail servers.
How We Verify These Settings#
Univik builds email backup, migration and converter software since 2013. Our tools sign in to HostPapa over IMAP and SMTP every day for thousands of users, so a changed server, port or login rule shows up in our connection logs before most guides notice it.
Every value on this page is confirmed with three checks: a live IMAP and SMTP connection from Univik Email Backup, a comparison against the HostPapa knowledge base and a sign in with a real mailbox using the full address. We re verify after any provider announcement and at least once a quarter.
Found something that no longer matches what HostPapa shows you? Tell us and we will retest and update the page, with the change logged in what changed recently.
Help & Support
Frequently Asked Questions
Use mail.yourdomain.com on a hosting plan or mail.papamail.net on Basic and Advanced Email, on port 993 with SSL. The username is your full email address and the password is the mailbox password. The IMAP settings section lists every value in full.
Check the username and SPA first. The username must be the full address, not the cPanel name. Secure Password Authentication has to be off too. HostPapa uses an app password only when you have turned on two factor sign in.
IMAP suits nearly everyone and HostPapa recommends it. Because mail lives on the server, each device shows the same view. POP3 brings mail down to a single machine and risks it if that machine dies. Full comparison here.
Yes. The server name, ports and encryption are identical on iPhone, Android and a PC. The path to the settings screen varies by app, which the client setup guides lay out.
It depends on your product. A hosting plan uses mail.yourdomain.com. The standalone Basic and Advanced Email uses mail.papamail.net. If you manage email inside cPanel, you are on a hosting plan.
Yes. Keep SSL turned on for each server so nobody reads the login. HostPapa runs its data centres on renewable energy. You can also add two factor sign in from cPanel for a second layer.
An email client with IMAP downloads mail as it syncs, but a dedicated backup tool is faster and saves standard files you can open anywhere. See how to back up your HostPapa mailbox. If you already exported files in another format, an email converter changes them to PST, PDF or whatever your new app opens.
On cPanel the usual causes are the wrong username, an SPA box left on or the wrong server for your product. Check what to know. Use the full address, clear SPA, then pick mail.yourdomain.com or mail.papamail.net.
A migration tool shifts mail from one mailbox to the next over IMAP. Feed it the HostPapa IMAP settings with the mailbox password for HostPapa, plus the other mailbox on the far end. Every folder and its dates arrive untouched.
If setting this up feels risky or you have many accounts to move, our managed email migration service does the entire job for you.
Open the HostPapa Dashboard, go to My Services and expand the Email panel. If a Basic or Advanced Email entry sits there, you are on the papamail platform and your server is mail.papamail.net. If the panel is empty, you use the hosting account email inside cPanel. Your server is then mail.yourdomain.com. The two use different webmail addresses as well.
Other Email Provider Settings
Summary: HostPapa Settings at a Glance
- IMAP: mail.yourdomain.com, port 993, SSL/TLS
- POP3: mail.yourdomain.com, port 995, SSL/TLS
- SMTP: mail.yourdomain.com, port 465 or 587
- Username is always your full email address
- cPanel mailbox on your own server
- Pick IMAP for phone + computer sync
- Full address as the username
- Username is always the full email address