DAViCal vs Radicale
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted groupware options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
DAViCal
Server for sharing calendars and address books via DAV
VS
Radicale
Simple, lightweight CalDAV and CardDAV server
| Feature | DAViCal | Radicale |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | Groupware | Groupware |
| License | GPL-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 200 | ★ 5,040 |
| First released | 2007 | 2008 |
| Replaces | Google Calendar, Microsoft Exchange | Google Calendar, iCloud |
What are DAViCal and Radicale?
DAViCal
DAViCal is a mature CalDAV and CardDAV server that stores calendars and address books in a PostgreSQL database. It supports sharing and fine-grained access control between users.
- CalDAV and CardDAV server
- PostgreSQL-backed storage
- Calendar sharing and permissions
- LDAP authentication support
Radicale
Radicale is a small, easy-to-run CalDAV and CardDAV server that stores calendars and contacts as plain files. It is ideal for individuals and small groups wanting to sync schedules and address books.
- Plain-file calendar and contact storage
- Very low resource usage
- CalDAV and CardDAV support
- Simple authentication options
DAViCal vs Radicale: key differences
DAViCal is written in PHP, while Radicale is built with Python. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for DAViCal versus GPL-3.0 for Radicale. Radicale is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 256 MB for DAViCal. Radicale has the considerably larger community, at 5,040 GitHub stars versus 200.
Why pick each one
Choose DAViCal if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in PHP
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Watch out for
- Dated administration UI
- PostgreSQL required
Choose Radicale if…
- Extremely easy to deploy
- No database needed
Watch out for
- No web calendar UI
- Minimal feature set
Frequently asked questions
Is DAViCal or Radicale better?
Radicale is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider DAViCal if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are DAViCal and Radicale free and open-source?
Yes. DAViCal is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Radicale under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run DAViCal and Radicale with Docker?
DAViCal: yes. Radicale: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, DAViCal or Radicale?
Radicale has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for DAViCal. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.