listmonk vs Stalwart Mail Server

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?
FeaturelistmonkStalwart Mail Server
CategoryMail ServersMail Servers
LicenseAGPL-3.0AGPL-3.0
LanguageGoRust
Setup difficultyEasyMedium
Min. RAM512 MB512 MB
Deploymentdocker, binary, sourcedocker, binary, bare-metal
GitHub stars★ 22,670★ 14,059
First released20202020
ReplacesMailchimp, SendinblueMicrosoft Exchange, Google Workspace

Why pick each one

Choose listmonk if…

  • Fast and scalable
  • Modern admin UI
listmonk details

Choose Stalwart Mail Server if…

  • Single modern binary
  • Strong security defaults
Stalwart Mail Server details

Frequently asked questions

Is listmonk or Stalwart Mail Server better?

listmonk is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Stalwart Mail Server if its specific feature set fits your needs better.

Are listmonk and Stalwart Mail Server free and open-source?

Yes. listmonk is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Stalwart Mail Server under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run listmonk and Stalwart Mail Server with Docker?

listmonk: yes. Stalwart Mail Server: yes.

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