mailcow vs Horde Groupware
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted apps from related categories — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
mailcow
Dockerized full-stack mail server suite
VS
Horde Groupware
PHP groupware suite with webmail and calendaring
| Feature | mailcow | Horde Groupware |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Mail Servers | Groupware |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 6,144 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 13,245 | ★ 243 |
| First released | 2016 | 2003 |
| Replaces | Microsoft Exchange, Google Workspace | Microsoft Exchange |
Why pick each one
Choose Horde Groupware if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- Written in PHP
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is mailcow or Horde Groupware better?
mailcow is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Horde Groupware if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are mailcow and Horde Groupware free and open-source?
Yes. mailcow is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Horde Groupware under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run mailcow and Horde Groupware with Docker?
mailcow: yes. Horde Groupware: check the project docs for container support.