Mailpile vs Roundcube
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted mail servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Mailpile | Roundcube |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 29 · At risk | 91 · Excellent |
| Category | Mail Servers | Mail Servers |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 8,816 | ★ 7,189 |
| First released | 2013 | 2008 |
| Replaces | Gmail | Gmail, Outlook Web |
What are Mailpile and Roundcube?
Mailpile
Mailpile is a free email client that emphasizes privacy, fast search, and built-in encryption. It runs as a personal web application that you host yourself.
- Fast local email search
- Built-in PGP encryption
- Privacy-respecting design
- Self-hosted personal webmail
Roundcube
Roundcube is a widely used, browser-based IMAP webmail client with a clean interface and a strong plugin ecosystem. It is commonly bundled with self-hosted mail servers.
- Full-featured IMAP webmail
- Extensive plugin system
- Drag-and-drop interface
- Address book and folder management
Mailpile vs Roundcube: key differences
Mailpile is written in Python, while Roundcube is built with PHP. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Mailpile versus GPL-3.0 for Roundcube. Roundcube is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Mailpile. Roundcube is the more established project (first released 2008), while Mailpile arrived in 2013. Roundcube lists first-class Docker deployment; Mailpile does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Mailpile if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Mature project with 8.8k GitHub stars
- Written in Python
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Watch out for
- Development has slowed
- Single-user focus
Choose Roundcube if…
- Mature and stable
- Widely supported
Watch out for
- Default UI feels dated
- Webmail only, needs a mail server
Frequently asked questions
Is Mailpile or Roundcube better?
Neither is universally better. Mailpile has the larger community, while Roundcube is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Mailpile and Roundcube free and open-source?
Yes. Mailpile is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Roundcube under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Mailpile and Roundcube with Docker?
Mailpile: check the project docs for container support. Roundcube: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Mailpile or Roundcube?
Roundcube has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Mailpile. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.