iRedMail vs Nextcloud Groupware
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted apps from related categories — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
iRedMail
Free, full-featured mail server solution
VS
Nextcloud Groupware
Mail, calendar and contacts bundle for Nextcloud
| Feature | iRedMail | Nextcloud Groupware |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Mail Servers | Groupware |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Shell | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 4,096 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,835 | ★ 1,169 |
| First released | 2007 | 2016 |
| Replaces | Microsoft Exchange, Google Workspace | Microsoft 365, Google Workspace |
Why pick each one
Choose Nextcloud Groupware if…
- Tight Nextcloud integration
- Standards-based sync
Frequently asked questions
Is iRedMail or Nextcloud Groupware better?
Neither is universally better. iRedMail has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are iRedMail and Nextcloud Groupware free and open-source?
Yes. iRedMail is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Nextcloud Groupware under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run iRedMail and Nextcloud Groupware with Docker?
iRedMail: check the project docs for container support. Nextcloud Groupware: yes.