docker-mailserver
Production-ready fullstack but simple mail server (SMTP, IMAP, LDAP, Antispam, Antivirus, etc.) running inside a container. Only configuration files, no SQL database.
Description from awesome-selfhosted (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Still maintained? Yes: 62 commits in the last 90 days, latest release v16.0.1 (Sep 2026).
Also an alternative to Gmail.
At a glance
docker-mailserver quick facts
- Health score
- 97/100 GOOD
- Stars
- 19,709
- Last commit
- 4 days ago (Oct 2026)
- Latest release
- v16.0.1, Sep 2026
- Licence
- MIT
Top alternatives to docker-mailserver
Full rankings: Gmail alternatives
In its own words
The project's README opens: "A production-ready fullstack but simple containerized mail server (SMTP, IMAP, LDAP, Anti-spam, Anti-virus, etc.). - Only configuration files, no SQL database. Keep it simple and versioned. Easy to deploy and upgrade. - Originally created by @tomav, this project is now maintained by volunteers since January 2021."
Why it ranks here
Health score explained
docker-mailserver scores 97/100, #1 of 18 in Communication - Email - Complete Solutions: 62 commits in the last 90 days earn 35.0 of 35 points, the latest release (v16.0.1, 2 months ago) earns 25.0 of 25, 19,709 stars add 17.2 of 20, an active, unarchived repository keeps 10 and Docker support adds the final 10. That places it in the good band (70 and above). The biggest shortfall is star count, worth 2.8 more points.
Recomputed nightly from the GitHub API. How the score is calculated.
Health over time
- Commit activity 35.0 / 35
62 commits in 90 days (30+ scores full marks)
- Release recency 25.0 / 25
v16.0.1 released 2 months ago
- Stars biggest shortfall 17.2 / 20
20k stars on GitHub (logarithmic)
- Not archived 10.0 / 10
Repository is active
- Docker support 10.0 / 10
Docker image or Compose file available
Commit activity
- 62
- Last 90 days
- 119
- Last 12 months
- 4 days ago
- Last push
Ranked #1 of 18 tools in Communication - Email - Complete Solutions by health , just above Mailcow (#2) .
Details
| Licence | MIT |
| Platforms | Docker |
| Latest release | v16.0.1 · 2 months ago |
| Stars | 19,709 |
| Open issues | 85 |
| Docker | Yes |
| Repository | docker-mailserver/docker-mailserver ↗ |
docker-mailserver vs its top 5 alternatives
Active tools that share a comparison page or a category with docker-mailserver (Communication - Email - Complete Solutions), scored on the same five terms.
| Tool | Health | Stars | Licence | Last commit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| docker-mailserver (this tool) | 97 | 20k | MIT | 4 days ago |
| Mailcow | 97 | 14k | GPL-3.0 | yesterday |
| Mailu | 96 | 7.6k | MIT | yesterday |
| Modoboa | 84 | 3.5k | ISC | yesterday |
| Maddy Mail Server | 80 | 6.1k | GPL-3.0 | today |
| Mail-in-a-Box | 63 | 15k | CC0-1.0 | 8 days ago |
docker-mailserver: common questions
What does docker-mailserver replace?
Repoly lists docker-mailserver as an open-source alternative to Gmail. Each comparison page ranks every alternative by the same health score, so you can see where docker-mailserver stands against the others.
Is docker-mailserver still maintained?
docker-mailserver had 62 commits in the last 90 days and its last push was 4 days ago; the latest tagged release, v16.0.1, is from 2 months ago. Repoly recomputes this nightly.
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