iRedMail vs Exim
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?
iRedMail
Free, full-featured mail server solution
VS
Exim
Flexible and widely deployed mail transfer agent
| Feature | iRedMail | Exim |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Mail Servers | Mail Servers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | Shell | C |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 4,096 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,835 | ★ 786 |
| First released | 2007 | 1995 |
| Replaces | Microsoft Exchange, Google Workspace | Microsoft Exchange |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is iRedMail or Exim better?
iRedMail is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Exim if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are iRedMail and Exim free and open-source?
Yes. iRedMail is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Exim under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run iRedMail and Exim with Docker?
iRedMail: check the project docs for container support. Exim: check the project docs for container support.