docker-mailserver
Production-ready fullstack but simple mail server (SMTP, IMAP, LDAP, Antispam, Antivirus, etc.) running inside a container. Only configuration files, no SQL database.
Best self-hosted Communication - Email - Complete Solutions software in 2026
Simple deployment of E-mail servers, e.g. for inexperienced or impatient admins.
We track 18 open-source, self-hosted Communication - Email - Complete Solutions apps. 18 of them had commits in the last 90 days, 10 can run with Docker, and the most common licenses are MIT (6), GPL-3.0 (6), AGPL-3.0 (1). The most-used languages are Python, PHP, Shell. Below are the top picks by GitHub stars, followed by every app ranked by stars weighted by maintenance health.
Alternatives to GmailAlternatives to Outlook.comAlternatives to Proton MailAlternatives to FastmailAlternatives to Zoho MailAlternatives to Microsoft Exchange
Top 5 by GitHub stars
| # | App | Stars | Health | Last activity | License | Language | Docker |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | docker-mailserver | 19.7k | Active | 2026-11-09 | MIT | Docker | ✓ |
| 2 | Postal | 16.9k | Active | 2026-10-01 | MIT | Docker, Ruby | ✓ |
| 3 | Stalwart Mail Server | 15.8k | Active | 2026-11-09 | AGPL-3.0 | Rust, Docker | ✓ |
| 4 | Mail-in-a-Box | 15.5k | Active | 2026-11-08 | CC0-1.0 | Shell | – |
| 5 | Mailcow | 13.8k | Active | 2026-11-05 | GPL-3.0 | Docker, PHP | ✓ |
- docker-mailserver — Production-ready fullstack but simple mail server (SMTP, IMAP, LDAP, Antispam, Antivirus, etc.) running inside a container. Only configuration files, no SQL database.
- Postal — Complete and fully featured mail server for use by websites & web servers.
- Stalwart Mail Server — All-in-one mail server with JMAP, IMAP4, and SMTP support and a wide range of modern features.
- Mail-in-a-Box — Turns any Ubuntu server into a fully functional mail server with one command.
- Mailcow — Mail server suite based on Dovecot, Postfix and other software, that provides a modern Web UI for administration.
Head-to-head comparisons
docker-mailserver vs Postaldocker-mailserver vs Stalwart Mail Serverdocker-mailserver vs Mail-in-a-BoxPostal vs Stalwart Mail ServerMail-in-a-Box vs PostalMail-in-a-Box vs Stalwart Mail Server
All 18 self-hosted Communication - Email - Complete Solutions apps
Ranked by GitHub stars weighted by maintenance health.
Postal
Complete and fully featured mail server for use by websites & web servers.
Stalwart Mail Server
All-in-one mail server with JMAP, IMAP4, and SMTP support and a wide range of modern features.
Mail-in-a-Box
Turns any Ubuntu server into a fully functional mail server with one command.
Mailcow
Mail server suite based on Dovecot, Postfix and other software, that provides a modern Web UI for administration.
Mailu
Simple yet full-featured mail server as a set of Docker images.
SimpleLogin
Email alias solution to protect your email address. Comes with browser extensions and mobile apps.
Maddy Mail Server
All-in-one mail server that implements SMTP (both MTA and MX) and IMAP. Replaces Postfix, Dovecot, OpenDKIM, OpenSPF, OpenDMARC with single daemon.
Mox
Complete e-mail solution with IMAP4, SMTP, SPF, DKIM, DMARC, MTA-STS, DANE and DNSSEC, reputation-based and content-based junk filtering, Internationalization (IDNA), automatic TLS with ACME and Let's Encrypt, account autoconfiguration, and webmail.
AnonAddy
Email forwarding service for creating aliases.
Modoboa
Mail hosting and management platform including a modern and simplified web user interface.
wildduck
Scalable no-SPOF IMAP/POP3 mail server.
iRedMail
Full-featured mail server solution based on Postfix and Dovecot.
Forward Email
Privacy-focused encrypted email for everyone. All-in-one (alternative to Gmail, Mailchimp, Sendgrid).
DebOps
Your Debian-based data center in a box. A set of general-purpose Ansible roles that can be used to manage Debian or Ubuntu hosts.
Simple NixOS Mailserver
Complete mailserver solution leveraging the Nix Ecosystem.
Inboxen
Lets you have an infinite number of unique inboxes.
b1gMail
Complete email solution that runs on any webspace with PHP and MariaDB. It supports POP3 catchall mailboxes and can also integrate with Postfix or b1gMailServer if you're running your own server.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best self-hosted Communication - Email - Complete Solutions software in 2026?
By GitHub stars, the most popular self-hosted Communication - Email - Complete Solutions apps are docker-mailserver (19,737 stars), Postal (16,944 stars), Stalwart Mail Server (15,827 stars). Popularity is only one signal: also check maintenance health, license and whether it fits your setup.
How many self-hosted Communication - Email - Complete Solutions apps are actively maintained?
18 of the 18 apps listed had commits in the last 90 days.
Which self-hosted Communication - Email - Complete Solutions apps can I run with Docker?
10 of the 18 apps can run with Docker; 2 publish an image on Docker Hub, including AnonAddy and DebOps.
Which licenses do self-hosted Communication - Email - Complete Solutions apps use?
The most common licenses in this category are MIT (6 apps), GPL-3.0 (6 apps), AGPL-3.0 (1 apps).
How much does it cost to self-host Communication - Email - Complete Solutions software?
The software itself is free to download. Based on our rough hardware estimates, the cheapest suitable VPS plan starts at about $20/month (median $20/month across apps in this category). Several light apps can share one server.
Figures from GitHub and Docker Hub as of 2026-11-15; hosting costs are rough estimates.