Apache James vs DAViCal
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted apps from related categories — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Apache James
Enterprise mail server and SMTP/IMAP platform
VS
DAViCal
Server for sharing calendars and address books via DAV
| Feature | Apache James | DAViCal |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Mail Servers | Groupware |
| License | Apache-2.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | Java | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,037 | ★ 200 |
| First released | 2003 | 2007 |
| Replaces | Microsoft Exchange | Google Calendar, Microsoft Exchange |
Why pick each one
Choose Apache James if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (1k GitHub stars)
- Written in Java
Choose DAViCal if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in PHP
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Apache James or DAViCal better?
Neither is universally better. Apache James has the larger community, while DAViCal is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Apache James and DAViCal free and open-source?
Yes. Apache James is licensed under Apache-2.0 and DAViCal under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Apache James and DAViCal with Docker?
Apache James: yes. DAViCal: yes.