Docker Mailserver vs Mailpit

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?
FeatureDocker MailserverMailpit
CategoryMail ServersMail Servers
LicenseMITMIT
LanguageShellGo
Setup difficultyMediumEasy
Min. RAM2,048 MB64 MB
Deploymentdockerdocker, binary
GitHub stars★ 18,682★ 10,067
First released20152022
ReplacesGoogle Workspace, Microsoft 365Mailtrap, MailHog

Why pick each one

Choose Docker Mailserver if…

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

Choose Mailpit if…

  • Very fast and small
  • Great developer UX
Mailpit details

Frequently asked questions

Is Docker Mailserver or Mailpit better?

Neither is universally better. Docker Mailserver has the larger community, while Mailpit is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.

Are Docker Mailserver and Mailpit free and open-source?

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

Can I run Docker Mailserver and Mailpit with Docker?

Docker Mailserver: yes. Mailpit: yes.

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