SnappyMail vs WildDuck
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted mail servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
SnappyMail
Lightweight, fast and modern webmail client
VS
WildDuck
Scalable IMAP and POP3 mail server with REST API
| Feature | SnappyMail | WildDuck |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 50 · Fair | 86 · Excellent |
| Category | Mail Servers | Mail Servers |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | EUPL-1.2 |
| Language | PHP | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,697 | ★ 2,108 |
| First released | 2021 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Gmail, Outlook Web | Microsoft Exchange, Gmail |
What are SnappyMail and WildDuck?
SnappyMail
SnappyMail is a simple, modern webmail client that is a maintained fork of RainLoop. It connects to any IMAP and SMTP server and is fast and easy to deploy.
- Fast, modern interface
- Works without a database
- Plugin support
- Connects to any IMAP/SMTP server
WildDuck
WildDuck is a modern, scalable mail server providing IMAP, POP3, and a full REST API for managing mailboxes. It stores messages in MongoDB and is designed for clustered, highly available deployments.
- IMAP and POP3
- Full REST API
- MongoDB storage
- Designed for scale
SnappyMail vs WildDuck: key differences
SnappyMail is written in PHP, while WildDuck is built with JavaScript. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for SnappyMail versus EUPL-1.2 for WildDuck. SnappyMail is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for WildDuck. WildDuck is the more established project (first released 2017), while SnappyMail arrived in 2021.
Why pick each one
Choose SnappyMail if…
- Very lightweight
- Actively maintained RainLoop fork
Watch out for
- Fewer plugins than Roundcube
- Webmail only
Choose WildDuck if…
- API-driven management
- Horizontally scalable
Watch out for
- Requires MongoDB
- Complex to operate
Frequently asked questions
Is SnappyMail or WildDuck better?
Neither is universally better. WildDuck has the larger community, while SnappyMail is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are SnappyMail and WildDuck free and open-source?
Yes. SnappyMail is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and WildDuck under EUPL-1.2. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run SnappyMail and WildDuck with Docker?
SnappyMail: yes. WildDuck: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, SnappyMail or WildDuck?
SnappyMail has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for WildDuck. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.