Cypht vs SnappyMail
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
SnappyMail
Lightweight, fast and modern webmail client
| Feature | Cypht | SnappyMail |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 85 · Excellent | 50 · Fair |
| 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 | ★ 1,697 |
| First released | 2015 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Gmail, Outlook Web | Gmail, Outlook Web |
What are Cypht and SnappyMail?
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
SnappyMail
SnappyMail is a simple, modern webmail client that is a maintained fork of RainLoop. It connects to any IMAP and SMTP server and is fast and easy to deploy.
- Fast, modern interface
- Works without a database
- Plugin support
- Connects to any IMAP/SMTP server
Cypht vs SnappyMail: key differences
Both projects are written in PHP. Licensing differs — LGPL-2.1 for Cypht versus AGPL-3.0 for SnappyMail. Cypht is the more established project (first released 2015), while SnappyMail arrived in 2021.
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 SnappyMail if…
- Very lightweight
- Actively maintained RainLoop fork
Watch out for
- Fewer plugins than Roundcube
- Webmail only
Frequently asked questions
Is Cypht or SnappyMail better?
Neither is universally better. Cypht has the larger community, while SnappyMail is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Cypht and SnappyMail free and open-source?
Yes. Cypht is licensed under LGPL-2.1 and SnappyMail under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Cypht and SnappyMail with Docker?
Cypht: yes. SnappyMail: yes.