docker-mailserver vs Maddy Mail Server
| Tagline | Production-ready, config-driven mail server in a single container | Single-binary Go mail server replacing Postfix, Dovecot, OpenDKIM, and OpenDMARC |
| Category | Email & Newsletters | Email & Newsletters |
| Replaces | Gmail / Google Workspace | Gmail / Google Workspace, SendGrid, Mailchimp |
| GitHub stars | 18k | 6k |
| Language | Shell | Go |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Self-host difficulty | 4/5 Involved | 4/5 Involved |
| Deploy options | Docker Docker Compose Manual | Docker Manual |
| Managed hosting | ||
| Last updated | 8 days ago | 23 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.
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
Maddy Mail Server
- No webmail interface; users need a separate IMAP client
- Documentation is less comprehensive than established stacks like Postfix + Dovecot
- No built-in web admin panel for managing accounts
- Smaller ecosystem and community compared to traditional mail server components
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
Maddy Mail Server
Single-binary Go mail server replacing Postfix, Dovecot, OpenDKIM, and OpenDMARC