iRedMail vs Mailu
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted mail servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | iRedMail | Mailu |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 82 · Excellent | 91 · Excellent |
| Category | Mail Servers | Mail Servers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | Shell | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 4,096 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal | docker, kubernetes |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,844 | ★ 7,524 |
| First released | 2007 | 2016 |
| Replaces | Microsoft Exchange, Google Workspace | Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 |
What are iRedMail and Mailu?
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
Mailu
Mailu is a free mail server distributed as a set of Docker images, providing a complete stack with antispam, webmail, and admin interface. It aims to be simpler and lighter than other mail suites.
- Composable Docker images
- Built-in antispam and antivirus
- Roundcube and SnappyMail webmail
- Admin UI and REST API
iRedMail vs Mailu: key differences
IRedMail is written in Shell, while Mailu is built with Python. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for iRedMail versus MIT for Mailu. Mailu is the lighter option, starting around 2,048 MB of RAM against 4,096 MB for iRedMail. IRedMail is the more established project (first released 2007), while Mailu arrived in 2016. Mailu has the considerably larger community, at 7,524 GitHub stars versus 1,844. Mailu 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 Mailu if…
- Lighter than mailcow
- Kubernetes support
Watch out for
- Fewer features than larger suites
- Manual DNS configuration
Frequently asked questions
Is iRedMail or Mailu better?
Neither is universally better. Mailu has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are iRedMail and Mailu free and open-source?
Yes. iRedMail is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Mailu under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run iRedMail and Mailu with Docker?
iRedMail: check the project docs for container support. Mailu: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, iRedMail or Mailu?
Mailu has the smaller minimum footprint at 2,048 MB of RAM, compared to about 4,096 MB for iRedMail. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.