Afterlogic WebMail Lite vs RainLoop
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted mail servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Afterlogic WebMail Lite | RainLoop |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 59 · Fair | 15 · At risk |
| Status | Actively maintained | Archived |
| Category | Mail Servers | Mail Servers |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Shell | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 362 | ★ 4,114 |
| First released | 2010 | 2013 |
| Replaces | Gmail, Outlook Web | Gmail, Outlook Web |
What are Afterlogic WebMail Lite and RainLoop?
Afterlogic WebMail Lite
Afterlogic WebMail Lite is a free, open-source webmail client that provides a clean front-end for any IMAP and SMTP mail server. It supports contacts and basic email management.
- Clean responsive webmail UI
- Contacts management
- Works with any IMAP server
- Free open-source edition
RainLoop
RainLoop is a fast, simple webmail client with a modern interface that works with any IMAP and SMTP server. It stores no email data itself, acting as a thin client.
- Modern, responsive UI
- No database required
- Multi-account support
- Works with any IMAP server
Afterlogic WebMail Lite vs RainLoop: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: RainLoop's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Afterlogic WebMail Lite is actively maintained. Afterlogic WebMail Lite is written in Shell, while RainLoop is built with PHP. RainLoop is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Afterlogic WebMail Lite. Afterlogic WebMail Lite is the more established project (first released 2010), while RainLoop arrived in 2013. RainLoop has the considerably larger community, at 4,114 GitHub stars versus 362.
Why pick each one
Choose Afterlogic WebMail Lite if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Shell
Watch out for
- Pro edition gates advanced features
- Webmail only
Choose RainLoop if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (4.1k GitHub stars)
Watch out for
- Development largely stalled
- SnappyMail is the active fork
Frequently asked questions
Is Afterlogic WebMail Lite or RainLoop better?
Neither is universally better. RainLoop has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Afterlogic WebMail Lite and RainLoop free and open-source?
Yes. Afterlogic WebMail Lite is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and RainLoop under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Afterlogic WebMail Lite and RainLoop with Docker?
Afterlogic WebMail Lite: yes. RainLoop: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Afterlogic WebMail Lite or RainLoop?
RainLoop has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Afterlogic WebMail Lite. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.