docker-mailserver vs Mailu
| Tagline | Production-ready, config-driven mail server in a single container | Simple yet full-featured mail server as a set of Docker images |
| Category | Email & Newsletters | Email & Newsletters |
| Replaces | Gmail / Google Workspace | Gmail / Google Workspace |
| GitHub stars | 19k | 7.5k |
| Language | Shell | Python |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Self-host difficulty | 4/5 Involved | 3/5 Moderate |
| Deploy options | Docker Docker Compose Manual | Docker Compose Kubernetes Manual |
| Managed hosting | ||
| Last updated | 8 days ago | 3 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
Mailu
- No calendar/contacts groupware bundled by default
- Requires correct DNS, PTR, and IP reputation to deliver reliably
- Focused on mailboxes, not newsletters or marketing campaigns
- Upgrades occasionally require manual migration steps
Bottom line
Choose Mailu if you want the lower-effort setup; choose docker-mailserver for the larger community and ecosystem. Mailu 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