Cozy vs Stalwart Mail Server
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?
Cozy
Personal cloud platform with contacts and calendar
VS
Stalwart Mail Server
Modern all-in-one mail server in a single binary
| Feature | Cozy | Stalwart Mail Server |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Groupware | Mail Servers |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Go | Rust |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | docker, binary, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,272 | ★ 14,059 |
| First released | 2016 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Google Workspace | Microsoft Exchange, Google Workspace |
Why pick each one
Choose Cozy if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (1.3k GitHub stars)
- Written in Go
Choose Stalwart Mail Server if…
- Single modern binary
- Strong security defaults
Frequently asked questions
Is Cozy or Stalwart Mail Server better?
Stalwart Mail Server is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Cozy if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Cozy and Stalwart Mail Server free and open-source?
Yes. Cozy is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Stalwart Mail Server under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Cozy and Stalwart Mail Server with Docker?
Cozy: yes. Stalwart Mail Server: yes.