Horde Groupware vs Kontact
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?
Horde Groupware
PHP groupware suite with webmail and calendaring
VS
Kontact
Integrated personal information manager for KDE
| Feature | Horde Groupware | Kontact |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Groupware | Groupware |
| License | GPL-2.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | PHP | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 243 | ★ 200 |
| First released | 2003 | 2004 |
| Replaces | Microsoft Exchange | Microsoft Outlook |
Why pick each one
Choose Horde Groupware if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- Written in PHP
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Choose Kontact if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- Written in C++
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Horde Groupware or Kontact better?
Neither is universally better. Horde Groupware has the larger community, while Kontact is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Horde Groupware and Kontact free and open-source?
Yes. Horde Groupware is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Kontact under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Horde Groupware and Kontact with Docker?
Horde Groupware: check the project docs for container support. Kontact: check the project docs for container support.