Modoboa vs PostfixAdmin
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?
Modoboa
Mail hosting and management platform with a modern UI
VS
PostfixAdmin
Web interface for managing Postfix mail domains
| Feature | Modoboa | PostfixAdmin |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Mail Servers | Mail Servers |
| License | ISC | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | Python | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,530 | ★ 1,251 |
| First released | 2010 | 2003 |
| Replaces | Google Workspace, cPanel Email | cPanel Email |
Why pick each one
Choose PostfixAdmin if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (1.3k GitHub stars)
- Written in PHP
Frequently asked questions
Is Modoboa or PostfixAdmin better?
Neither is universally better. Modoboa has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Modoboa and PostfixAdmin free and open-source?
Yes. Modoboa is licensed under ISC and PostfixAdmin under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Modoboa and PostfixAdmin with Docker?
Modoboa: yes. PostfixAdmin: yes.