Chatmail vs SchildiChat
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?
Chatmail
Minimal, instant-onboarding mail server for Delta Chat
VS
SchildiChat
Element-based Matrix client with extra usability tweaks
| Feature | Chatmail | SchildiChat |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Mail Servers | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | MPL-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | Shell |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 476 | ★ 465 |
| First released | 2023 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Slack, WhatsApp |
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 SchildiChat if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Shell
Frequently asked questions
Is Chatmail or SchildiChat better?
Neither is universally better. Chatmail has the larger community, while SchildiChat is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Chatmail and SchildiChat free and open-source?
Yes. Chatmail is licensed under MPL-2.0 and SchildiChat under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Chatmail and SchildiChat with Docker?
Chatmail: yes. SchildiChat: yes.