Maddy Mail Server vs Modoboa
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 | Modoboa |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 89 · Excellent | 88 · Excellent |
| Category | Mail Servers | Mail Servers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | ISC |
| Language | Go | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 6,091 | ★ 3,538 |
| First released | 2019 | 2010 |
| Replaces | Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 | Google Workspace, cPanel Email |
What are Maddy Mail Server and Modoboa?
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
Modoboa
Modoboa is a mail hosting and management platform that provides a clean web interface on top of Postfix and Dovecot. It includes antispam, webmail, calendar, and DNS health checks.
- Modern mail administration UI
- Amavis and Rspamd antispam
- Built-in webmail and calendar
- DNSBL and configuration health checks
Maddy Mail Server vs Modoboa: key differences
Maddy Mail Server is written in Go, while Modoboa is built with Python. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Maddy Mail Server versus ISC for Modoboa. Maddy Mail Server is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 2,048 MB for Modoboa. Modoboa is the more established project (first released 2010), 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 Modoboa if…
- Friendly management interface
- Good monitoring features
Watch out for
- Installer can be finicky
- Multiple components to maintain
Frequently asked questions
Is Maddy Mail Server or Modoboa better?
Neither is universally better. Maddy Mail Server has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Maddy Mail Server and Modoboa free and open-source?
Yes. Maddy Mail Server is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Modoboa under ISC. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Maddy Mail Server and Modoboa with Docker?
Maddy Mail Server: yes. Modoboa: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Maddy Mail Server or Modoboa?
Maddy Mail Server has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 2,048 MB for Modoboa. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.