Docker Mailserver vs Mailcow-dockerized
Docker Mailserver and Mailcow-dockerized are both email server software. Docker Mailserver is open source under MIT, with 20k GitHub stars. Mailcow-dockerized is open source under GPL-3.0, with 14k GitHub stars.
Which to pick
- Pick Docker Mailserver when
- You want a simple self-hosted mail server without a web admin panel.
- Pick Mailcow-dockerized when
- You want to host email for several domains yourself with a full admin interface.
Side by side
A single container mail server with SMTP, IMAP, anti-spam, antivirus and LDAP support, configured by files and environment variables.
A Docker Compose mail server suite with Postfix, Dovecot, Rspamd, SOGo webmail and groupware, and an admin UI for domains and mailboxes.
No GUI or webmail, and self-hosted mail brings deliverability and security work.
Running your own mail means handling deliverability, IP reputation and security updates yourself.
Production-ready (both)
Self-hosted server (both)
Docker, Postfix, Dovecot and Rspamd
Docker, Postfix, Dovecot, Rspamd, PHP and MariaDB
Open source, MIT (permissive)
Open source, GPL-3.0 (strong copyleft)
You can build it into a product you sell, as long as you keep its copyright notice.
Use inside your business is unrestricted, but anything you distribute that includes it must be released under the same license.
20k GitHub stars
14k GitHub stars
Established: started 11 years ago, latest release v16.0.1.
Established: started 10 years ago, latest release 2026-10.
Other comparisons
More email servers and webmail
Both sides were judged on 2026-11-03 from each project's README and GitHub data. License, age and popularity lines are worked out directly.