SHSelfHostIndex

Docker Mailserver vs OpenTrashmail

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?
DO Docker Mailserver Production-ready, config-driven mail server in a container VS OP OpenTrashmail Complete trashmail solution that exposes an SMTP server and has a web
FeatureDocker MailserverOpenTrashmail
CategoryMail ServersMail Servers
LicenseMITApache-2.0
LanguageShellPHP
Setup difficultyMediumMedium
Min. RAM2,048 MB512 MB
Deploymentdockerdocker
GitHub stars★ 18,682★ 919
First released20152020
ReplacesGoogle Workspace, Microsoft 365—

Why pick each one

Choose Docker Mailserver if…

  • Reproducible, version-controllable config
  • Lightweight
Docker Mailserver details

Choose OpenTrashmail if…

  • Released under the Apache-2.0 license
  • First-class Docker support for quick deployment
  • Written in PHP
  • Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
OpenTrashmail details

Frequently asked questions

Is Docker Mailserver or OpenTrashmail 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 OpenTrashmail free and open-source?

Yes. Docker Mailserver is licensed under MIT and OpenTrashmail under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Docker Mailserver and OpenTrashmail with Docker?

Docker Mailserver: yes. OpenTrashmail: yes.

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