CryptPad vs Mail-in-a-Box
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?
CryptPad
End-to-end encrypted collaboration suite
VS
Mail-in-a-Box
Turn a fresh server into a working mail server
| Feature | CryptPad | Mail-in-a-Box |
|---|---|---|
| Category | File Sync & Storage | Mail Servers |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | CC0-1.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | bare-metal, one-click |
| GitHub stars | ★ 7,832 | ★ 15,385 |
| First released | 2015 | 2014 |
| Replaces | Google Drive, Microsoft 365 | Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 |
Why pick each one
Choose CryptPad if…
- Strong privacy guarantees
- Real-time collaboration
- No account needed to start
Frequently asked questions
Is CryptPad or Mail-in-a-Box better?
Mail-in-a-Box is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider CryptPad if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are CryptPad and Mail-in-a-Box free and open-source?
Yes. CryptPad is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Mail-in-a-Box under CC0-1.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run CryptPad and Mail-in-a-Box with Docker?
CryptPad: yes. Mail-in-a-Box: check the project docs for container support.