mailcow 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?
mailcow
Dockerized full-stack mail server suite
VS
Postorius
Web administration interface for Mailman 3
| Feature | mailcow | Postorius |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Mail Servers | Mail Servers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 6,144 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 13,245 | ★ 200 |
| First released | 2016 | 2012 |
| Replaces | Microsoft Exchange, Google Workspace | Google Groups |
Why pick each one
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
Frequently asked questions
Is mailcow or Postorius better?
mailcow 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 mailcow and Postorius free and open-source?
Yes. mailcow is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Postorius under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run mailcow and Postorius with Docker?
mailcow: yes. Postorius: yes.