iRedMail 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 | iRedMail | Maddy Mail Server |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 82 · Excellent | 89 · Excellent |
| Category | Mail Servers | Mail Servers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Shell | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 4,096 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal | docker, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,844 | ★ 6,091 |
| First released | 2007 | 2019 |
| Replaces | Microsoft Exchange, Google Workspace | Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 |
What are iRedMail and Maddy Mail Server?
iRedMail
iRedMail is a shell-script-driven mail server deployment that sets up Postfix, Dovecot, antispam, and webmail on major Linux and BSD systems. It supports OpenLDAP, MySQL, or PostgreSQL backends.
- Automated full mail stack install
- LDAP, MySQL or PostgreSQL backends
- SpamAssassin and ClamAV
- Roundcube and SOGo webmail
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
iRedMail vs Maddy Mail Server: key differences
IRedMail is written in Shell, while Maddy Mail Server is built with Go. Maddy Mail Server is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 4,096 MB for iRedMail. IRedMail is the more established project (first released 2007), while Maddy Mail Server arrived in 2019. Maddy Mail Server has the considerably larger community, at 6,091 GitHub stars versus 1,844. Maddy Mail Server lists first-class Docker deployment; iRedMail does not.
Why pick each one
Choose iRedMail if…
- Works on many distros
- Long-standing project
Watch out for
- Admin panel features gated in pro edition
- Script-based, less reproducible
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 iRedMail or Maddy Mail Server better?
Neither is universally better. Maddy Mail Server has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are iRedMail and Maddy Mail Server free and open-source?
Yes. iRedMail is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Maddy Mail Server under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run iRedMail and Maddy Mail Server with Docker?
iRedMail: check the project docs for container support. Maddy Mail Server: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, iRedMail or Maddy Mail Server?
Maddy Mail Server has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 4,096 MB for iRedMail. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.