Roundcube vs NeoMutt
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?
| Feature | Roundcube | NeoMutt |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Mail Servers | Mail Servers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | PHP | C |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 7,118 | ★ 3,799 |
| First released | 2008 | 2016 |
| Replaces | Gmail, Outlook Web | Microsoft Outlook |
Why pick each one
Choose NeoMutt if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- Active community (3.8k GitHub stars)
- Written in C
- Tiny footprint — runs in 64 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Roundcube or NeoMutt better?
Roundcube is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider NeoMutt if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Roundcube and NeoMutt free and open-source?
Yes. Roundcube is licensed under GPL-3.0 and NeoMutt under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Roundcube and NeoMutt with Docker?
Roundcube: yes. NeoMutt: check the project docs for container support.