Mail-in-a-Box vs WildDuck
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?
Mail-in-a-Box
Turn a fresh server into a working mail server
VS
WildDuck
Scalable IMAP and POP3 mail server with REST API
| Feature | Mail-in-a-Box | WildDuck |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Mail Servers | Mail Servers |
| License | CC0-1.0 | EUPL-1.2 |
| Language | Python | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, one-click | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 15,385 | ★ 2,107 |
| First released | 2014 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 | Microsoft Exchange, Gmail |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is Mail-in-a-Box or WildDuck better?
Mail-in-a-Box is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider WildDuck if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Mail-in-a-Box and WildDuck free and open-source?
Yes. Mail-in-a-Box is licensed under CC0-1.0 and WildDuck under EUPL-1.2. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Mail-in-a-Box and WildDuck with Docker?
Mail-in-a-Box: check the project docs for container support. WildDuck: yes.