Mailspring vs WildDuck
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?
Mailspring
Cross-platform desktop email client
VS
WildDuck
Scalable IMAP and POP3 mail server with REST API
| Feature | Mailspring | WildDuck |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Mail Servers | Mail Servers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | EUPL-1.2 |
| Language | JavaScript | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 17,730 | ★ 2,107 |
| First released | 2017 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Outlook, Apple Mail | Microsoft Exchange, Gmail |
Why pick each one
Choose Mailspring if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Mature project with 17.7k GitHub stars
- Written in JavaScript
Frequently asked questions
Is Mailspring or WildDuck better?
Mailspring is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider WildDuck if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Mailspring and WildDuck free and open-source?
Yes. Mailspring is licensed under GPL-3.0 and WildDuck under EUPL-1.2. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Mailspring and WildDuck with Docker?
Mailspring: check the project docs for container support. WildDuck: yes.