Cypht vs Roundcube
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
Roundcube
Browser-based IMAP webmail client
| Feature | Cypht | Roundcube |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 85 · Excellent | 91 · Excellent |
| Category | Mail Servers | Mail Servers |
| License | LGPL-2.1 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,735 | ★ 7,188 |
| First released | 2015 | 2008 |
| Replaces | Gmail, Outlook Web | Gmail, Outlook Web |
What are Cypht and Roundcube?
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
Roundcube
Roundcube is a widely used, browser-based IMAP webmail client with a clean interface and a strong plugin ecosystem. It is commonly bundled with self-hosted mail servers.
- Full-featured IMAP webmail
- Extensive plugin system
- Drag-and-drop interface
- Address book and folder management
Cypht vs Roundcube: key differences
Both projects are written in PHP. Licensing differs — LGPL-2.1 for Cypht versus GPL-3.0 for Roundcube. Cypht is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Roundcube. Roundcube is the more established project (first released 2008), while Cypht arrived in 2015. Roundcube has the considerably larger community, at 7,188 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 Roundcube if…
- Mature and stable
- Widely supported
Watch out for
- Default UI feels dated
- Webmail only, needs a mail server
Frequently asked questions
Is Cypht or Roundcube better?
Roundcube is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Cypht if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Cypht and Roundcube free and open-source?
Yes. Cypht is licensed under LGPL-2.1 and Roundcube under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Cypht and Roundcube with Docker?
Cypht: yes. Roundcube: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Cypht or Roundcube?
Cypht has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Roundcube. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.