Mailu vs Modoboa
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?
Mailu
Simple yet full-featured Docker mail server
VS
Modoboa
Mail hosting and management platform with a modern UI
| Feature | Mailu | Modoboa |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Mail Servers | Mail Servers |
| License | MIT | ISC |
| Language | Python | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 7,443 | ★ 3,530 |
| First released | 2016 | 2010 |
| Replaces | Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 | Google Workspace, cPanel Email |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is Mailu or Modoboa better?
Neither is universally better. Mailu has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Mailu and Modoboa free and open-source?
Yes. Mailu is licensed under MIT and Modoboa under ISC. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Mailu and Modoboa with Docker?
Mailu: yes. Modoboa: yes.