Radicale vs Zimbra Collaboration
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?
Radicale
Simple, lightweight CalDAV and CardDAV server
VS
Zimbra Collaboration
Email, calendar, collaboration server with Web interface and lots of
| Feature | Radicale | Zimbra Collaboration |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Groupware | Groupware |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | Python | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,877 | — |
| First released | 2008 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Google Calendar, iCloud | — |
Why pick each one
Choose Zimbra Collaboration if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- Written in Java
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Radicale or Zimbra Collaboration better?
Radicale is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Zimbra Collaboration if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Radicale and Zimbra Collaboration free and open-source?
Yes. Radicale is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Zimbra Collaboration under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Radicale and Zimbra Collaboration with Docker?
Radicale: yes. Zimbra Collaboration: check the project docs for container support.