OpenSMTPD vs Mailpit
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?
OpenSMTPD
Secure and simple SMTP server from OpenBSD
VS
Mailpit
Email and SMTP testing tool with web UI
| Feature | OpenSMTPD | Mailpit |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Mail Servers | Mail Servers |
| License | ISC | MIT |
| Language | C | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 32 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 579 | ★ 10,067 |
| First released | 2013 | 2022 |
| Replaces | Sendmail, Postfix | Mailtrap, MailHog |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is OpenSMTPD or Mailpit better?
Mailpit is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider OpenSMTPD if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are OpenSMTPD and Mailpit free and open-source?
Yes. OpenSMTPD is licensed under ISC and Mailpit under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run OpenSMTPD and Mailpit with Docker?
OpenSMTPD: check the project docs for container support. Mailpit: yes.