Baïkal vs Radicale
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted groupware options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Radicale
Simple, lightweight CalDAV and CardDAV server
| Feature | Baïkal | Radicale |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 87 · Excellent | 90 · Excellent |
| Category | Groupware | Groupware |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,319 | ★ 5,040 |
| First released | 2012 | 2008 |
| Replaces | Google Calendar, iCloud | Google Calendar, iCloud |
What are Baïkal and Radicale?
Baïkal
Baïkal is a lightweight CalDAV and CardDAV server built on the sabre/dav library, providing calendar and contact synchronization with a simple web admin panel. It suits individuals and small teams.
- CalDAV and CardDAV server
- Web-based administration
- SQLite or MySQL storage
- Standards-compliant sync
Radicale
Radicale is a small, easy-to-run CalDAV and CardDAV server that stores calendars and contacts as plain files. It is ideal for individuals and small groups wanting to sync schedules and address books.
- Plain-file calendar and contact storage
- Very low resource usage
- CalDAV and CardDAV support
- Simple authentication options
Baïkal vs Radicale: key differences
Baïkal is written in PHP, while Radicale is built with Python. Radicale is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 128 MB for Baïkal. Radicale is the more established project (first released 2008), while Baïkal arrived in 2012.
Why pick each one
Choose Baïkal if…
- Simple and lightweight
- Easy admin interface
Watch out for
- No web calendar interface
- Admin tool, not full groupware
Choose Radicale if…
- Extremely easy to deploy
- No database needed
Watch out for
- No web calendar UI
- Minimal feature set
Frequently asked questions
Is Baïkal or Radicale better?
Neither is universally better. Radicale has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Baïkal and Radicale free and open-source?
Yes. Baïkal is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Radicale under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Baïkal and Radicale with Docker?
Baïkal: yes. Radicale: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Baïkal or Radicale?
Radicale has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for Baïkal. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.