Chatmail vs Docker Mailserver
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?
Chatmail
Minimal, instant-onboarding mail server for Delta Chat
VS
Docker Mailserver
Production-ready, config-driven mail server in a container
| Feature | Chatmail | Docker Mailserver |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Mail Servers | Mail Servers |
| License | MPL-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | Python | Shell |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 476 | ★ 18,682 |
| First released | 2023 | 2015 |
| Replaces | Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 |
Why pick each one
Choose Chatmail if…
- Released under the MPL-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Python
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Choose Docker Mailserver if…
- Reproducible, version-controllable config
- Lightweight
Frequently asked questions
Is Chatmail or Docker Mailserver better?
Neither is universally better. Docker Mailserver has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Chatmail and Docker Mailserver free and open-source?
Yes. Chatmail is licensed under MPL-2.0 and Docker Mailserver under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Chatmail and Docker Mailserver with Docker?
Chatmail: yes. Docker Mailserver: yes.