Mailpile 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?
Mailpile
Privacy-focused, searchable email client
VS
WildDuck
Scalable IMAP and POP3 mail server with REST API
| Feature | Mailpile | WildDuck |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Mail Servers | Mail Servers |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | EUPL-1.2 |
| Language | Python | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 8,825 | ★ 2,107 |
| First released | 2013 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Gmail | Microsoft Exchange, Gmail |
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
Frequently asked questions
Is Mailpile or WildDuck better?
Mailpile is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider WildDuck if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Mailpile and WildDuck free and open-source?
Yes. Mailpile is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and WildDuck under EUPL-1.2. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Mailpile and WildDuck with Docker?
Mailpile: check the project docs for container support. WildDuck: yes.