alot vs meli
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted mail servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
alot
Terminal-based mail user agent for notmuch
VS
meli
Terminal email client with a modern interface
| Feature | alot | meli |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Mail Servers | Mail Servers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | Rust |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 751 | ★ 877 |
| First released | 2011 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Mutt | Mutt, NeoMutt |
Why pick each one
Choose alot if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Written in Python
- Tiny footprint — runs in 64 MB RAM
Choose meli if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Written in Rust
- Tiny footprint — runs in 64 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is alot or meli better?
Neither is universally better. meli has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are alot and meli free and open-source?
Yes. alot is licensed under GPL-3.0 and meli under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run alot and meli with Docker?
alot: check the project docs for container support. meli: check the project docs for container support.