Docker Mailserver vs Maddy Mail Server
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted mail servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Docker Mailserver | Maddy Mail Server |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | ≈5-minute setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 96 · Excellent | 89 · Excellent |
| Category | Mail Servers | Mail Servers |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Shell | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 18,872 | ★ 6,091 |
| First released | 2015 | 2019 |
| Replaces | Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 | Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 |
What are Docker Mailserver and Maddy Mail Server?
Docker Mailserver
Docker Mailserver is a single-container mail server built on Postfix and Dovecot with no external database. It is configured entirely through files and environment variables for a reproducible setup.
- Single container, no database
- Postfix and Dovecot core
- SpamAssassin and ClamAV integration
- File-based configuration
Maddy Mail Server
Maddy is a single-process mail server written in Go that replaces Postfix, Dovecot, and several other components. It is designed to be simple to configure while remaining flexible.
- Single binary replaces full stack
- SMTP, IMAP and submission in one
- Simple unified configuration
- Built-in DKIM and TLS management
Docker Mailserver vs Maddy Mail Server: key differences
Docker Mailserver is written in Shell, while Maddy Mail Server is built with Go. Licensing differs — MIT for Docker Mailserver versus GPL-3.0 for Maddy Mail Server. Maddy Mail Server is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 2,048 MB for Docker Mailserver. Docker Mailserver is the more established project (first released 2015), while Maddy Mail Server arrived in 2019. Docker Mailserver has the considerably larger community, at 18,872 GitHub stars versus 6,091.
Why pick each one
Choose Docker Mailserver if…
- Reproducible, version-controllable config
- Lightweight
Watch out for
- No built-in webmail
- Requires comfort with mail concepts
Choose Maddy Mail Server if…
- Drastically simpler than traditional stacks
- Low resource use
Watch out for
- Fewer features than mature stacks
- Smaller community
Frequently asked questions
Is Docker Mailserver or Maddy Mail Server better?
Neither is universally better. Docker Mailserver has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Docker Mailserver and Maddy Mail Server free and open-source?
Yes. Docker Mailserver is licensed under MIT and Maddy Mail Server under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Docker Mailserver and Maddy Mail Server with Docker?
Docker Mailserver: yes. Maddy Mail Server: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Docker Mailserver or Maddy Mail Server?
Maddy Mail Server has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 2,048 MB for Docker Mailserver. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.