The app can now do backups for all the major Mac email clients, which can be selected from the main interface:

It’s not an ideal solution. Restoring one of its backups has to be done manually. It doesn’t back up some of the things that I think are essential for Mail.app.

But it’s a lot better than nothing. And it’s free.

Email Backup is available from the developer’s web site .backup, apple mail, mail.app, entourage, files, schedule, better safe than sorry, Thunderbird, EudoraSimilar Posts:

• Email Backup Pro: Simple email backup and restore
• Email Backup and Backup Pro updates: GyazMail, better restore
• Email Backup Pro 1.1: Multiple client support
• A dedicated, easy-to-use backup app for Apple Mail and Entourage
• A total backup plan for Mail (and more)

It backs up all the files needed to restore your email in the event of a corruption or some other disaster.

The single-paned interface allows you to specify the backup destination and options to schedule the day and time:

A revised version released today adds an option to turn verbose logging on and off, fixes a rare freezing issue that occurred on some systems and adds a progress indicator for manual backups.

Of course, there are many options for creating a regular backup regime. Hawk Wings has posted about many of them—BackityMac, Synk, applescripts, Dejà vu, although there are others.

UPDATE: As Steve points out in the comments, this app only backs up your preferences file and the essential files and folders in your ~/Library/Mail folder. If you want to back up any saved or modified attachments or your Address Book (which I think is part of any sensible Mail backup) you will need to find another method to include all the files needed for a full backup (listed in an earlier Hawk Wings post).

Email Backup is freeware and is available from the developer’s web site .backup, apple mail, mail.app, entourage, files, schedule, better safe than sorrySimilar Posts:

• Email Backup Pro: Simple email backup and restore
• Email Backup 1.1 adds Thunderbird, Eudora support
• Email Backup Pro 1.1: Multiple client support
• A total backup plan for Mail (and more)
• Email Backup and Backup Pro updates: GyazMail, better restore