phpList vs Stalwart Mail Server
| Tagline | Battle-tested open-source newsletter and email marketing platform | Modern all-in-one mail server with JMAP, IMAP4, and SMTP in a single Rust binary |
| Category | Email & Newsletters | Email & Newsletters |
| Replaces | Mailchimp, ConvertKit (Kit) | Gmail / Google Workspace, SendGrid, Mailchimp |
| GitHub stars | 872 | 15k |
| Language | PHP | Rust |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Self-host difficulty | 2/5 Simple | 3/5 Moderate |
| Deploy options | Docker Manual | Docker Docker Compose Manual |
| Managed hosting | ||
| Last updated | 5 days ago | yesterday |
| View repo | View repo |
Where each falls short
The honest trade-offs — what you give up with each, versus the proprietary tools they replace.
phpList
- UI feels dated compared to modern SaaS tools
- No native drag-and-drop email builder; requires third-party plugins
- Automation/drip sequences require community plugins and are limited
Stalwart Mail Server
- No built-in newsletter/broadcast campaign tooling
- Web admin UI is functional but less refined than commercial email service dashboards
- Third-party anti-virus (ClamAV) integration requires additional setup
- Community support only on the free tier; paid support plans are limited
Bottom line
Choose phpList if you want the lower-effort setup; choose Stalwart Mail Server for the larger community and ecosystem. Stalwart Mail Server has seen more recent development. Open each guide below for deploy steps and the full feature gap.
Stalwart Mail Server
Modern all-in-one mail server with JMAP, IMAP4, and SMTP in a single Rust binary