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.
| Feature | Maddy Mail Server | Mailu |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 89 · Excellent | 91 · Excellent |
| 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 | ★ 6,091 | ★ 7,524 |
| First released | 2019 | 2016 |
| Replaces | Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 | Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 |
What are Maddy Mail Server and Mailu?
Maddy Mail Server
Maddy is a single-process mail server written in Go that replaces Postfix, Dovecot, and several other components. It is designed to be simple to configure while remaining flexible.
- Single binary replaces full stack
- SMTP, IMAP and submission in one
- Simple unified configuration
- Built-in DKIM and TLS management
Mailu
Mailu is a free mail server distributed as a set of Docker images, providing a complete stack with antispam, webmail, and admin interface. It aims to be simpler and lighter than other mail suites.
- Composable Docker images
- Built-in antispam and antivirus
- Roundcube and SnappyMail webmail
- Admin UI and REST API
Maddy Mail Server vs Mailu: key differences
Maddy Mail Server is written in Go, while Mailu is built with Python. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Maddy Mail Server versus MIT for Mailu. Maddy Mail Server is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 2,048 MB for Mailu. Mailu is the more established project (first released 2016), while Maddy Mail Server arrived in 2019.
Why pick each one
Choose Maddy Mail Server if…
- Drastically simpler than traditional stacks
- Low resource use
Watch out for
- Fewer features than mature stacks
- Smaller community
Choose Mailu if…
- Lighter than mailcow
- Kubernetes support
Watch out for
- Fewer features than larger suites
- Manual DNS configuration
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.
Which is lighter on resources, Maddy Mail Server or Mailu?
Maddy Mail Server has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 2,048 MB for Mailu. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.