listmonk vs OpenSMTPD
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
OpenSMTPD
Secure and simple SMTP server from OpenBSD
| Feature | listmonk | OpenSMTPD |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Mail Servers | Mail Servers |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | ISC |
| Language | Go | C |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 32 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary, source | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 22,670 | ★ 579 |
| First released | 2020 | 2013 |
| Replaces | Mailchimp, Sendinblue | Sendmail, Postfix |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is listmonk or OpenSMTPD better?
listmonk is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider OpenSMTPD if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are listmonk and OpenSMTPD free and open-source?
Yes. listmonk is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and OpenSMTPD under ISC. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run listmonk and OpenSMTPD with Docker?
listmonk: yes. OpenSMTPD: check the project docs for container support.