Cypht vs Mailpile
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted mail servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Cypht
Lightweight webmail aggregator for many accounts
VS
Mailpile
Privacy-focused, searchable email client
| Feature | Cypht | Mailpile |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 85 · Excellent | 29 · At risk |
| Category | Mail Servers | Mail Servers |
| License | LGPL-2.1 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,735 | ★ 8,816 |
| First released | 2015 | 2013 |
| Replaces | Gmail, Outlook Web | Gmail |
What are Cypht and Mailpile?
Cypht
Cypht is a webmail client that combines email from multiple IMAP, POP3, and SMTP accounts plus RSS feeds into a single unified interface. It is lightweight and privacy-conscious.
- Aggregates multiple email accounts
- Combined inbox view
- RSS feed integration
- Modular plugin system
Mailpile
Mailpile is a free email client that emphasizes privacy, fast search, and built-in encryption. It runs as a personal web application that you host yourself.
- Fast local email search
- Built-in PGP encryption
- Privacy-respecting design
- Self-hosted personal webmail
Cypht vs Mailpile: key differences
Cypht is written in PHP, while Mailpile is built with Python. Licensing differs — LGPL-2.1 for Cypht versus AGPL-3.0 for Mailpile. Cypht is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Mailpile. Mailpile is the more established project (first released 2013), while Cypht arrived in 2015. Mailpile has the considerably larger community, at 8,816 GitHub stars versus 1,735. Cypht lists first-class Docker deployment; Mailpile does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Cypht if…
- Released under the LGPL-2.1 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (1.7k GitHub stars)
- Written in PHP
Watch out for
- Less polished than Roundcube
- Setup needs configuration
Choose Mailpile if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Mature project with 8.8k GitHub stars
- Written in Python
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Watch out for
- Development has slowed
- Single-user focus
Frequently asked questions
Is Cypht or Mailpile better?
Neither is universally better. Mailpile has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Cypht and Mailpile free and open-source?
Yes. Cypht is licensed under LGPL-2.1 and Mailpile under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Cypht and Mailpile with Docker?
Cypht: yes. Mailpile: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Cypht or Mailpile?
Cypht has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Mailpile. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.