ZenTao 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?
ZenTao
Open-source project and team collaboration platform
VS
Zimbra Collaboration
Email, calendar, collaboration server with Web interface and lots of
| Feature | ZenTao | Zimbra Collaboration |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Groupware | Groupware |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | PHP | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,665 | — |
| First released | 2009 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Jira, Confluence | — |
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 ZenTao or Zimbra Collaboration better?
Neither is universally better. ZenTao has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are ZenTao and Zimbra Collaboration free and open-source?
Yes. ZenTao is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Zimbra Collaboration under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run ZenTao and Zimbra Collaboration with Docker?
ZenTao: yes. Zimbra Collaboration: check the project docs for container support.