docker-mailserver vs SendPortal
| Tagline | Production-ready, config-driven mail server in a single container | Self-hosted email marketing platform built on Laravel |
| Category | Email & Newsletters | Email & Newsletters |
| Replaces | Gmail / Google Workspace | Mailchimp, SendGrid, ConvertKit (Kit) |
| GitHub stars | 18k | 1.5k |
| Language | Shell | PHP |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Self-host difficulty | 4/5 Involved | 2/5 Easy |
| Deploy options | Docker Docker Compose Manual | Docker Manual |
| Managed hosting | ||
| Last updated | 17 days ago | 1 month 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
SendPortal
- No visual drag-and-drop email builder included
- Automation workflows are not yet implemented
- Limited built-in template library
Bottom line
Choose SendPortal 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