listmonk vs RainLoop
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?
listmonk
Self-hosted newsletter and mailing list manager
VS
RainLoop
Simple, modern and fast web-based email client
| Feature | listmonk | RainLoop |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Mail Servers | Mail Servers |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Go | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 22,670 | ★ 4,120 |
| First released | 2020 | 2013 |
| Replaces | Mailchimp, Sendinblue | Gmail, Outlook Web |
Why pick each one
Choose RainLoop if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (4.1k GitHub stars)
Frequently asked questions
Is listmonk or RainLoop better?
Neither is universally better. listmonk has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are listmonk and RainLoop free and open-source?
Yes. listmonk is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and RainLoop under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run listmonk and RainLoop with Docker?
listmonk: yes. RainLoop: yes.