Docker Mailserver vs Proton Mail
Docker Mailserver and Proton Mail are both email server software. Docker Mailserver is open source under MIT, with 20k GitHub stars. Proton Mail is a commercial product from Proton AG.
Which to pick
- Pick Docker Mailserver when
- You want a simple self-hosted mail server without a web admin panel.
- Pick Proton Mail when
- Privacy is your first concern and you want encrypted email, especially between Proton users.
Side by side
A single container mail server with SMTP, IMAP, anti-spam, antivirus and LDAP support, configured by files and environment variables.
End-to-end encrypted email from Switzerland, bundled with Proton's calendar, drive, VPN and password manager.
No GUI or webmail, and self-hosted mail brings deliverability and security work.
Desktop email clients need the paid Bridge app, and encryption limits server-side search and integrations.
Production-ready (both)
Self-hosted server
Cloud service, desktop app and mobile app
Docker, Postfix, Dovecot and Rspamd
Not published
Open source, MIT (permissive)
Closed source, sold by Proton AG
You can build it into a product you sell, as long as you keep its copyright notice.
Closed source: you use it under the maker's terms and cannot change or resell the code.
20k GitHub stars
12k Wikipedia readers a month on phones
Established: started 11 years ago, latest release v16.0.1.
Not known
Other comparisons
More email servers and webmail
Both sides were judged on 2026-11-03 from makers' descriptions, Wikipedia, READMEs and GitHub data. License, age and popularity lines are worked out directly.