RainLoop vs mailcow
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?
RainLoop
Simple, modern and fast web-based email client
VS
mailcow
Dockerized full-stack mail server suite
| Feature | RainLoop | mailcow |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Mail Servers | Mail Servers |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 6,144 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,120 | ★ 13,245 |
| First released | 2013 | 2016 |
| Replaces | Gmail, Outlook Web | Microsoft Exchange, Google Workspace |
Why pick each one
Choose RainLoop if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (4.1k GitHub stars)
Frequently asked questions
Is RainLoop or mailcow better?
Neither is universally better. mailcow has the larger community, while RainLoop is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are RainLoop and mailcow free and open-source?
Yes. RainLoop is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and mailcow under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run RainLoop and mailcow with Docker?
RainLoop: yes. mailcow: yes.