Docker Mailserver vs Mailpile
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted mail servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Docker Mailserver
Production-ready, config-driven mail server in a container
VS
Mailpile
Privacy-focused, searchable email client
| Feature | Docker Mailserver | Mailpile |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Mail Servers | Mail Servers |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Shell | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 18,682 | ★ 8,825 |
| First released | 2015 | 2013 |
| Replaces | Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 | Gmail |
Why pick each one
Choose Docker Mailserver if…
- Reproducible, version-controllable config
- Lightweight
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
Frequently asked questions
Is Docker Mailserver or Mailpile 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 Mailpile free and open-source?
Yes. Docker Mailserver is licensed under MIT and Mailpile under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Docker Mailserver and Mailpile with Docker?
Docker Mailserver: yes. Mailpile: check the project docs for container support.