AcyMailing vs docker-mailserver
| Tagline | Joomla and WordPress newsletter plugin with automation | Production-ready, config-driven mail server in a single container |
| Category | Email & Newsletters | Email & Newsletters |
| Replaces | Mailchimp, ConvertKit (Kit) | Gmail / Google Workspace |
| GitHub stars | 200 | 18k |
| Language | PHP | Shell |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Self-host difficulty | 2/5 Easy | 4/5 Involved |
| Deploy options | Manual | Docker Docker Compose Manual |
| Managed hosting | ||
| Last updated | 1 month ago | 17 days ago |
| View repo | View repo |
Where each falls short
The honest trade-offs — what you give up with each, versus the proprietary tools they replace.
AcyMailing
- Tightly coupled to Joomla/WordPress ecosystem
- Advanced automation features gated behind paid plans
- No standalone deployment outside a CMS
docker-mailserver
- No admin web UI — all config is via files and the CLI
- No bundled webmail or groupware (calendar/contacts)
- Deliverability, DNS, and TLS setup are entirely your responsibility
- Not a newsletter/marketing tool — mailboxes only
Bottom line
Choose AcyMailing if you want the lower-effort setup; choose docker-mailserver for the larger community and ecosystem. docker-mailserver has seen more recent development. Open each guide below for deploy steps and the full feature gap.
docker-mailserver
Production-ready, config-driven mail server in a single container