Baïkal vs Citadel
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted groupware options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Baïkal
Lightweight CalDAV and CardDAV server with web admin
VS
Citadel
All-in-one groupware, mail and collaboration server
| Feature | Baïkal | Citadel |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Groupware | Groupware |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | C |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,258 | ★ 100 |
| First released | 2012 | 1987 |
| Replaces | Google Calendar, iCloud | Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft 365 |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is Baïkal or Citadel better?
Baïkal is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Citadel if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Baïkal and Citadel free and open-source?
Yes. Baïkal is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Citadel under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Baïkal and Citadel with Docker?
Baïkal: yes. Citadel: check the project docs for container support.