listmonk vs phpList
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
phpList
Newsletter and email marketing with advanced management of
| Feature | listmonk | phpList |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Mail Servers | Mail Servers |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Go | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary, source | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 22,670 | ★ 864 |
| First released | 2020 | 2025 |
| Replaces | Mailchimp, Sendinblue | — |
Why pick each one
Choose phpList if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Written in PHP
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is listmonk or phpList better?
listmonk is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider phpList if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are listmonk and phpList free and open-source?
Yes. listmonk is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and phpList under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run listmonk and phpList with Docker?
listmonk: yes. phpList: check the project docs for container support.