Mailu vs Group-Office
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted apps from related categories — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Mailu
Simple yet full-featured Docker mail server
VS
Group-Office
Web-based groupware and CRM with email and calendar
| Feature | Mailu | Group-Office |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Mail Servers | Groupware |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 7,443 | ★ 275 |
| First released | 2016 | 2003 |
| Replaces | Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 | Microsoft 365, Google Workspace |
Why pick each one
Choose Group-Office if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in PHP
Frequently asked questions
Is Mailu or Group-Office 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 Group-Office free and open-source?
Yes. Mailu is licensed under MIT and Group-Office under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Mailu and Group-Office with Docker?
Mailu: yes. Group-Office: yes.