Mailman vs Schleuder
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted mail servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Mailman | Schleuder |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Category | Mail Servers | Mail Servers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | Ruby |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 400 | ★ 100 |
| First released | 1998 | 2009 |
| Replaces | Google Groups | Google Groups |
What are Mailman and Schleuder?
Mailman
GNU Mailman is the long-standing standard for running mailing lists, with version 3 offering a modern web interface and REST API. It handles list subscriptions, moderation, and archiving.
- Mature mailing list management
- Modern Postorius web UI
- HyperKitty list archives
- REST API for automation
Schleuder
Schleuder is a mailing list manager designed for groups that need encrypted communication, decrypting incoming and re-encrypting outgoing mail with OpenPGP. It also serves as a remailer for confidential teams.
- OpenPGP encrypted lists
- Re-encrypts for each member
- Remailer functionality
- Key management
Mailman vs Schleuder: key differences
Mailman is written in Python, while Schleuder is built with Ruby. Schleuder is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Mailman. Mailman is the more established project (first released 1998), while Schleuder arrived in 2009. Mailman has the considerably larger community, at 400 GitHub stars versus 100. Mailman lists first-class Docker deployment; Schleuder does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Mailman if…
- Industry-standard list software
- Strong moderation tools
Watch out for
- Mailman 3 setup is involved
- Multi-component architecture
Choose Schleuder if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Written in Ruby
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Mailman or Schleuder better?
Neither is universally better. Mailman has the larger community; both share a hard setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Mailman and Schleuder free and open-source?
Yes. Mailman is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Schleuder under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Mailman and Schleuder with Docker?
Mailman: yes. Schleuder: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Mailman or Schleuder?
Schleuder has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Mailman. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.