Nowadays, finding the best OST viewer can be very hard and time-consuming, especially if you don’t have any idea where to start looking. To begin with, there are different factors that can determine the “best”. There’s also the problem with filtering the ones that are affordable from the expensive ones.
Fortunately, many users have had the same thought as you had, and that’s why a lot of experts decided to compile the best OST viewer out there. But before we get deeper into this subject, do you have an idea of what OST means?
What are OST Files?What are 9 Best OST Viewers and Their Cons & Pros?Bottom Line
What are OST Files?
OST files are short for Online Outlook Data Files, which is often mistaken as the Outlook Data File that is referred to as PST files. While PST files are the data from Outlook that can be accessed when you have internet, OST files does not require you to have internet.
It is saved on your computer and these files contain data from your most recent messages and other data from Outlook such as contacts, tasks, calendar info, and more.
There are other differences between PST and OST files, but you can consider OST files as simply offline copies of PST files.
However, perhaps the most significance difference between the two is the accessibility. More particularly, PST files can be accessed using Outlook as long as you have an internet connection. On the other hand, OST files require you to get an OST viewer.
With that being the case, you will have to ensure that you choose the best OST viewer so that you can see all the important information instead of seeing just a portion of it. Without further ado, let’s start with our first entry for the best OST viewer.
What are 9 Best OST Viewers and Their Cons & Pros?
1. Kernel OST Viewer
Kernel OST Viewer can be said to be the best OST viewer in terms of popularity. It is popular with the masses because of its convenience of use and its friendly interface, making it rather easy to use. Additionally, it has all the features that one can dream of from an OST viewer.
Pros:
- Kernel OST Viewer generates reports that can provide information on the mail density, user interactions, email flow, and more.
- Corrupted OST files can be detected by the software and can also be viewed anytime the user desires it, as long as it was detected.
- Users can gain access to the offline folders from the Exchange system without having to connect to its server.
Cons:
- There’s no real disadvantage to using Kernel OST Viewer except for the fact that you will be limited to its simple features.
Overall, Kernel OST Viewer is a great option and is really the best OST viewer for those that want to make things as simple as possible especially for the beginners.
2. FreeViewer
FreeViewer is exactly as the name suggests, it is a free OST viewer. And as you might expect, it presents users with the basic features of an OST viewer. Additionally, it has some pretty useful features that even the famed Kernel OST Viewer does not possess.
Pros:
- Just like Kernel OST Viewer, FreeViewer is capable of detecting and viewing corrupted OST files, making it possible to remove the corruptions.
- The platform allows the user to view the OST files in different modes, 7 modes to be exact, with each having different functionalities.
- OST files can be found using the advance search function that locates files using keywords and other information such as data modified.
- It does not require you to install the MS Outlook platform or the Exchange Server.
Cons:
- The FreeViewer platform may be harder to manage than most platforms considering that there are different modes that you can choose from. This is especially true for those that chose FreeViewer as the very first OST viewer to use.
To close, FreeViewer is the best OST viewer for users that tend to be dissatisfied with the limited options to view OST files.
3. SysTools
Another popular OST viewer is SysTools. It is also a freeware just like most of the entries in our list of the best OST viewer. In addition, there are other some advantages to using SysTools over other OST viewers.
Pros:
- Users can take advantage of the ability of SysTools to view multiple OST files at the same time.
- Scanning types range from Quick scan and Advanced scan so users can pick from quicker or more accurate.
- The tools was also designed so that OST files will display attachments that were stored in it, if there is any. This includes documents, images, and more.
- Advance searching feature is available which makes use of keywords and other info such as subject, destination, source, and such.
Cons:
- Due to the addition of various types of attachments, you may find that the OST files that you view will take longer to load.
SysTools doesn’t require you to pay in order to use it. That alone makes it a very worthwhile tool as well as one of the best OST viewer out there.
4. Turgs OST Viewer
Turgs OST Viewer is a standalone tool, meaning you won’t have to install Outlook or Exchange just to access the OST files. This makes it easier for users since it doesn’t require you to use your precious disk space for tools that would most likely be abandoned.
Pros:
- Turgs OST Viewer allows users to view or open OST files that are either encrypted, password-protected, corrupted, or in any other tight situation.
- Orphan OST files, or those that are disconnected from the Outlook platform, can be accessed with this OST viewer.
- File management is made easier due to the hierarchy system that is offered by the Turgs OST Viewer on your folders and files.
Cons:
- There isn’t any disadvantages to Turgs OST Viewer except the customer support that is often either delayed or non-existent at all. This is all because it is not that popular to users that the priority is low.
Although it is not very popular to users, it is still one of the best OST viewer out there. It is very ideal for people that wants to manage OST files better owing to the hierarchy offered by the platform.
5. Bitrecover OST Viewer
Bitrecover is a simplified OST viewer that is very similar to Turgs OST Viewer in a way that it supports a very neat file and folder structures. This makes it possible for users to easily manage their files.
Pros:
- Users can view the folders and subfolders that contain OST files using the platform. This makes it easier to examine and preview the items from your Outlook account.
- You don’t have to install plugins or any other utility just to use this tool. This is because it is considered as a standalone platform for any local operating systems.
- Users can access the OST files regardless of its size and specifications. This is made possible since the platform does not necessarily have any limitation in file size.
Cons:
- The interface of Bitrecover OST Viewer is not exactly the easiest to get used to, especially since the icons are all over the place.
Bitrecover OST Viewer might not be the best OST viewer, especially since the interface is not the best, but you should still consider it if ever you want to check your OST files.
6. CoolUtils OST Viewer
CoolUtils OST Viewer is best compared to FreeViewer and SysTools. For one, it has the basic features of an OST Viewer, just like the aforementioned two tools. What makes it most comparable to the two is its function that allows users to sort out the OST files through different filters such as name, data, sender, and such.
Pros:
- CoolUtils OST Viewer has a very neat interface that displays the OST files in an organized but simplified manner.
- Folders and subfolders are shown on the right, following the same hierarchical system that other OST viewers use.
- Important information such as size, recipient, sender, and more can be seen at the right side of the email subject.
- Convert your files from one format to another. This includes converting from or to the OST file.
Cons:
- Not all the information can be fit into your screen especially if you have lots of OST files on your computer. Other than that, there’s no really disadvantage to using CoolUtils.
CoolUtils OST Viewer is one of the very few tools out there that can serve as a viewer as well as a converter. That’s why it made it to this list of best OST viewer.
7. MailsDaddy OST Viewer
As the name suggests, MailsDaddy OST Viewer is a product of the MailsDaddy group. It is another standalone tool for users that want the best OST viewer. The basic features is present in the aforementioned tool which involves viewing OST files. It is available for both Windows and Mac users.
Pros:
- The MailsDaddy OST Reader is a lightweight app and the interface is simple enough for beginners to understand easily.
- It is portable, meaning you won’t have to install it on a device and wait too long because you can carry the whole package altogether.
- You can easily view OST files that were originally from Outlook of different versions up to the Outlook 2016.
- You don’t have to have a MAPI profile in order to use the software and view OST files.
Cons:
- The software does not have the capability of exporting items from your device to the server. You can, however, do this by using the pro version.
Considering that it offers many features from the freeware, it is great enough to be one of the best OST viewer. After all, you don’t necessarily have to pay in order to use it.
8. Softaken OST Viewer
This OST Viewer comes from Softaken which had already received numerous awards in the past. It is also a standalone application so it is comparable to most of the best OST viewer out there.
Pros:
- Softaken OST Viewer supports the whole items or attachments from OST files. This includes documents, videos, messages, and more.
- The software does not have any size limitation, providing a certain level of freedom to users.
- You can easily locate files that are found on your computer, especially because there is a file management function which allows you to find files through filters.
Cons:
- When trying to opt for the product, there is a chance that you will have to go through all the trouble just to get it such as delayed delivery, activation code not working, and more.
While it may be very frustrating at the beginning, you will find it very reassuring that there will be no further problems other than the installation.
9. PCVITA OST Viewer
Our last entry is OST Viewer of PCVITA, an organization with tons of products including Outlook File Management Tools. Considering the vastness of their archives, you will find that it is very convenient that they have tons of tools for managing OST files.
Pros:
- PCVITA is one of the best OST viewer that offers a very good file filtering function. It allows you to input the subject, date, or other information and it’ll find your OST files for you.
- The software has the capability of reducing the size of your files in case it is too large for your purpose of viewing the file.
- The application allows you to search data within archived emails which will make searching for necessary data a lot easier.
Cons:
- Although the freeware version is good enough, you will have to pay a decent amount of money to get the premium version since it is more expensive than most applications.
To conclude, PCVITA, although being more expensive than others, is still one of the best OST viewer in terms of functionality and performance.
Bottom Line
There are tons of OST viewers out there, but some can be very disappointing and you’d only waste your time by simply using them. However, there are certain tools out there that will be very worthwhile.
For that very reason, we have made a compilation of the best OST viewers on the internet. Some of them are free, some are paid, but they should be able to serve their purpose as a great recommendation for people such as yourself.
/