SHSelfHostIndex

Stalwart Mail Server vs Postorius

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?
ST Stalwart Mail Server Modern all-in-one mail server in a single binary VS PO Postorius Web administration interface for Mailman 3
FeatureStalwart Mail ServerPostorius
CategoryMail ServersMail Servers
LicenseAGPL-3.0GPL-3.0
LanguageRustPython
Setup difficultyMediumHard
Min. RAM512 MB512 MB
Deploymentdocker, binary, bare-metaldocker, source
GitHub stars★ 14,059★ 200
First released20202012
ReplacesMicrosoft Exchange, Google WorkspaceGoogle Groups

Why pick each one

Choose Stalwart Mail Server if…

  • Single modern binary
  • Strong security defaults
Stalwart Mail Server details

Choose Postorius if…

  • Released under the GPL-3.0 license
  • First-class Docker support for quick deployment
  • Written in Python
  • Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Postorius details

Frequently asked questions

Is Stalwart Mail Server or Postorius better?

Stalwart Mail Server is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Postorius if its specific feature set fits your needs better.

Are Stalwart Mail Server and Postorius free and open-source?

Yes. Stalwart Mail Server is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Postorius under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Stalwart Mail Server and Postorius with Docker?

Stalwart Mail Server: yes. Postorius: yes.

Related comparisons