Apache James vs Horde Groupware
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
Horde Groupware
PHP groupware suite with webmail and calendaring
| Feature | Apache James | Horde Groupware |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Mail Servers | Groupware |
| License | Apache-2.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | Java | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,037 | ★ 243 |
| First released | 2003 | 2003 |
| Replaces | Microsoft Exchange | 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 Horde Groupware if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- Written in PHP
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Apache James or Horde Groupware better?
Neither is universally better. Apache James has the larger community; both share a hard setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Apache James and Horde Groupware free and open-source?
Yes. Apache James is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Horde Groupware under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Apache James and Horde Groupware with Docker?
Apache James: yes. Horde Groupware: check the project docs for container support.