listmonk vs Forward Email
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
Forward Email
Privacy-focused encrypted email for everyone
| Feature | listmonk | Forward Email |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Mail Servers | Mail Servers |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | BUSL-1.1 |
| Language | Go | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary, source | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 22,670 | ★ 1,655 |
| First released | 2020 | 2026 |
| Replaces | Mailchimp, Sendinblue | — |
Why pick each one
Choose Forward Email if…
- Released under the BUSL-1.1 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (1.7k GitHub stars)
- Written in JavaScript
Frequently asked questions
Is listmonk or Forward Email better?
listmonk is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Forward Email if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are listmonk and Forward Email free and open-source?
Yes. listmonk is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Forward Email under BUSL-1.1. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run listmonk and Forward Email with Docker?
listmonk: yes. Forward Email: yes.