AnonAddy vs docker-mailserver
| Tagline | Self-hosted anonymous email forwarding with unlimited disposable aliases | Production-ready, config-driven mail server in a single container |
| Category | Email & Newsletters | Email & Newsletters |
| Replaces | Gmail / Google Workspace, Mailchimp, ConvertKit (Kit) | Gmail / Google Workspace |
| GitHub stars | 4.7k | 18k |
| Language | PHP | Shell |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Self-host difficulty | 4/5 Involved | 4/5 Involved |
| Deploy options | Docker Docker Compose Manual | Docker Docker Compose Manual |
| Managed hosting | ||
| Last updated | 21 days ago | 8 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.
AnonAddy
- Requires a properly configured Postfix MTA alongside the application, increasing setup complexity
- No newsletter or campaign functionality; alias forwarding only
- Mobile apps point to anonaddy.com by default; self-hosted URL must be configured manually
- No built-in spam filtering beyond what the upstream MTA provides
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
Both are a similar lift to self-host; 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