Is windows live mail 2011 a less secure app?

Google appears to the email app "Windows Live Mail", version 2011, as a "less secure app". I began to have difficulty accessing it on myWindows 8.1 PC, and after trying to reconfigure various parts of Properties for WLM, I tried switching to "allow less secure app" in my Google account, and then I could access my Gmail through WLM. Is this the only option for allowing WLM to download my Gmail email? I ask because Google says it will automatically switch the security setting back to OFF for allow less secure app if I don't use WLM .Thanks for any helpful responses and/or suggestions. SteveG1400