DAViCal vs SOGo
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
SOGo
Scalable groupware server with webmail, calendar and contacts
| Feature | DAViCal | SOGo |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | Groupware | Groupware |
| License | GPL-2.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | PHP | Objective-C |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 200 | ★ 2,165 |
| First released | 2007 | 2009 |
| Replaces | Google Calendar, Microsoft Exchange | Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft 365 |
What are DAViCal and SOGo?
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
SOGo
SOGo is a fully featured, scalable groupware server offering shared calendars, address books, and webmail. It is fully compatible with Microsoft Outlook via ActiveSync and with CalDAV/CardDAV clients.
- CalDAV and CardDAV support
- Microsoft ActiveSync compatibility
- Shared calendars and contacts
- Integrated AJAX webmail
DAViCal vs SOGo: key differences
DAViCal is written in PHP, while SOGo is built with Objective-C. DAViCal is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for SOGo. DAViCal is the more established project (first released 2007), while SOGo arrived in 2009. SOGo has the considerably larger community, at 2,165 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 SOGo if…
- Strong Outlook compatibility
- Scales to many users
Watch out for
- Complex initial setup
- Requires separate mail server
Frequently asked questions
Is DAViCal or SOGo better?
Neither is universally better. SOGo has the larger community, while DAViCal is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are DAViCal and SOGo free and open-source?
Yes. DAViCal is licensed under GPL-2.0 and SOGo under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run DAViCal and SOGo with Docker?
DAViCal: yes. SOGo: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, DAViCal or SOGo?
DAViCal has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for SOGo. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.