Nextcloud Mail vs WildDuck
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted mail servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Nextcloud Mail
IMAP webmail client integrated into Nextcloud
VS
WildDuck
Scalable IMAP and POP3 mail server with REST API
| Feature | Nextcloud Mail | WildDuck |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 64 · Good | 86 · Excellent |
| Category | Mail Servers | Mail Servers |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | EUPL-1.2 |
| Language | JavaScript | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,029 | ★ 2,108 |
| First released | 2014 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Gmail | Microsoft Exchange, Gmail |
What are Nextcloud Mail and WildDuck?
Nextcloud Mail
Nextcloud Mail is the official mail app for Nextcloud that connects to existing IMAP and SMTP accounts inside the Nextcloud interface. It integrates with contacts, calendar, and files.
- IMAP and SMTP support
- Integrated with Nextcloud
- Contacts and calendar links
- Threaded conversations
WildDuck
WildDuck is a modern, scalable mail server providing IMAP, POP3, and a full REST API for managing mailboxes. It stores messages in MongoDB and is designed for clustered, highly available deployments.
- IMAP and POP3
- Full REST API
- MongoDB storage
- Designed for scale
Nextcloud Mail vs WildDuck: key differences
Both projects are written in JavaScript. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Nextcloud Mail versus EUPL-1.2 for WildDuck. Nextcloud Mail is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for WildDuck. Nextcloud Mail is the more established project (first released 2014), while WildDuck arrived in 2017. WildDuck has the considerably larger community, at 2,108 GitHub stars versus 1,029. WildDuck lists first-class Docker deployment; Nextcloud Mail does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Nextcloud Mail if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (1k GitHub stars)
- Written in JavaScript
Choose WildDuck if…
- API-driven management
- Horizontally scalable
Watch out for
- Requires MongoDB
- Complex to operate
Frequently asked questions
Is Nextcloud Mail or WildDuck better?
Neither is universally better. WildDuck has the larger community, while Nextcloud Mail is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Nextcloud Mail and WildDuck free and open-source?
Yes. Nextcloud Mail is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and WildDuck under EUPL-1.2. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Nextcloud Mail and WildDuck with Docker?
Nextcloud Mail: check the project docs for container support. WildDuck: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Nextcloud Mail or WildDuck?
Nextcloud Mail has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for WildDuck. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.