Maddy Mail Server vs Mailu
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?
Maddy Mail Server
Composable, all-in-one mail server in Go
VS
Mailu
Simple yet full-featured Docker mail server
| Feature | Maddy Mail Server | Mailu |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Mail Servers | Mail Servers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | Go | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary, source | docker, kubernetes |
| GitHub stars | ★ 6,060 | ★ 7,443 |
| First released | 2019 | 2016 |
| Replaces | Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 | Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 |
Why pick each one
Choose Maddy Mail Server if…
- Drastically simpler than traditional stacks
- Low resource use
Frequently asked questions
Is Maddy Mail Server or Mailu better?
Neither is universally better. Mailu has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Maddy Mail Server and Mailu free and open-source?
Yes. Maddy Mail Server is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Mailu under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Maddy Mail Server and Mailu with Docker?
Maddy Mail Server: yes. Mailu: yes.