Cypht vs RainLoop
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
RainLoop
Archived
Simple, modern and fast web-based email client
| Feature | Cypht | RainLoop |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 85 · Excellent | 15 · At risk |
| Status | Actively maintained | Archived |
| Category | Mail Servers | Mail Servers |
| License | LGPL-2.1 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,735 | ★ 4,114 |
| First released | 2015 | 2013 |
| Replaces | Gmail, Outlook Web | Gmail, Outlook Web |
What are Cypht and RainLoop?
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
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
Cypht vs RainLoop: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: RainLoop's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Cypht is actively maintained. Both projects are written in PHP. Licensing differs — LGPL-2.1 for Cypht versus AGPL-3.0 for RainLoop. RainLoop is the more established project (first released 2013), while Cypht arrived in 2015. RainLoop has the considerably larger community, at 4,114 GitHub stars versus 1,735.
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 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 Cypht or RainLoop better?
RainLoop is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider RainLoop if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Cypht and RainLoop free and open-source?
Yes. Cypht is licensed under LGPL-2.1 and RainLoop under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Cypht and RainLoop with Docker?
Cypht: yes. RainLoop: yes.