Cozy vs Kolab Groupware
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted groupware options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Cozy
Personal cloud platform with contacts and calendar
VS
Kolab Groupware
Open-source groupware server with mail and calendaring
| Feature | Cozy | Kolab Groupware |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Groupware | Groupware |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Go | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | bare-metal, docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,272 | ★ 200 |
| First released | 2016 | 2002 |
| Replaces | Google Workspace | Microsoft Exchange, Zimbra |
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 Kolab Groupware if…
- Built on proven components
- Strong standards support
Frequently asked questions
Is Cozy or Kolab Groupware better?
Neither is universally better. Cozy has the larger community; both share a hard setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Cozy and Kolab Groupware free and open-source?
Yes. Cozy is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Kolab Groupware under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Cozy and Kolab Groupware with Docker?
Cozy: yes. Kolab Groupware: yes.