Mail-in-a-Box vs Group-Office
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted apps from related categories — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Mail-in-a-Box
Turn a fresh server into a working mail server
VS
Group-Office
Web-based groupware and CRM with email and calendar
| Feature | Mail-in-a-Box | Group-Office |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Mail Servers | Groupware |
| License | CC0-1.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, one-click | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 15,385 | ★ 275 |
| First released | 2014 | 2003 |
| Replaces | Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 | Microsoft 365, Google Workspace |
Why pick each one
Choose Group-Office if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in PHP
Frequently asked questions
Is Mail-in-a-Box or Group-Office better?
Mail-in-a-Box is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Group-Office if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Mail-in-a-Box and Group-Office free and open-source?
Yes. Mail-in-a-Box is licensed under CC0-1.0 and Group-Office under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Mail-in-a-Box and Group-Office with Docker?
Mail-in-a-Box: check the project docs for container support. Group-Office: yes.