Axigen vs hMailServer (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Axigen grades higher than hMailServer: 2.2 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Axigen grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Which one is for you
Pick Axigen if
- Fits if you have up to 10 mailboxes to run and want a free server edition
- Works for small firms that will move to the paid business edition later
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want the price up front, because paid prices come from a configurator
- Pricey if you add antimalware, antispam and blacklists, which are separate add-ons
- Tight if you need support: it is sold as support packs that include maintenance
- Not for you if you want a hosted service with nothing to install in the listing
- Watch out: the free edition is for home, small business and test use only
Pick hMailServer if
- Fits if you already run a Windows server and want mail on it
- Works for admins who add Roundcube or SquirrelMail on top
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you don't run Windows, as there's no Linux or macOS build
- Skip it if you want webmail included, since it's a server only
- Skip it if you want direct help from the developers, as support is a community forum
- Watch out: 5.7.1 is the latest stable, with 5.7.2 still a beta
How we grade them
| 2.2GPAAxigenFair | 1.8GPAhMailServerWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CBusiness plans start at 10 users, but prices come from an online configurator and are not on a page we could read, so this is a C. MSP plans start from 150 users. | CFree, but it needs a Windows server of your own. |
| Free plan and trial | BA free edition covers 10 domains, 10 users and 10 groups with webmail and calendaring, and a 60-day full trial exists. You need a server to run it. | BFree under the AGPL with no paid plans. You supply the Windows machine. |
| Features | CMail, calendars, tasks, notes, contacts and sync with clients. Antimalware, antispam and premium blacklists are separate add-ons. | CStandard mail protocols, spam and virus filtering, domains, routing and backup. It's a server only, with no webmail, so you add one. |
| Ease of use | DNo store rating on record. It is a server you install and administer, through WebAdmin or the command line. | DYou install and administer a server yourself, and add a webmail separately. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWindows, Linux and web, with sync for Outlook, Thunderbird and Apple Mail, plus Active Directory and OpenLDAP. | DWindows only. The site lists no Linux or macOS build. |
| Best for | a mail server with a free 10-user edition | a free mail server for Windows |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Axigen and hMailServer. How we grade
Where they differ
- hMailServer is open source, according to its own site.
- Axigen also covers calendar and email client.
- hMailServer also covers workflow automation.
In commonFree planWindowsSelf-hostable
At a glance
| Axigen | hMailServer | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | Not published | Free |
| Free plan | Free Mail Server: 10 domains, 10 users, 10 groups, aliases and public folders, for home, small business and test use. | Free and open source under the AGPLv3 license, with no paid plans. |
| Free trial | Full-featured 60-day evaluation of the business mail server | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Axigen | hMailServer |
| Price read from | axigen.com | hmailserver.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Axigen
- Paid prices are not published on pages we could read; they come from a configurator.
- Antimalware, antispam and premium blacklists are separate add-ons.
- Technical support is sold as support packs that include maintenance.
hMailServer
- Runs on Microsoft Windows only; the site lists no Linux or macOS build.
- It is a server only, with no built-in webmail, so a separate webmail or mail client is needed.
- Support comes through a community forum, not from the developers directly.
- The latest stable release on the download page is 5.7.1; 5.7.2 is listed as a beta.
Key features
Axigen
- Calendars and collaboration
- Calendars, tasks, notes and contacts with folder sharing and sending on behalf of other users.
- Webmail
- Axigen WebMail has keyboard shortcuts, drag and drop, filters and is localized in over 25 languages.
- Sync with clients
- Works with Outlook, Thunderbird and Apple Mail, and syncs over CalDAV, CardDAV and Exchange ActiveSync.
- Security tools
- SPF, DKIM and DMARC compliance, 2-step verification and optional Bitdefender-powered AntiMalware and AntiSpam apps.
- WebAdmin and CLI
- A web administration console, a command-line interface and LDAP or Active Directory sync.
- Cloud-native option
- The site lists Docker and Kubernetes cluster deployment among its platforms.
hMailServer
- Standard mail protocols
- Supports POP3, SMTP and IMAP4, so it works with most email clients and with webmail systems that use IMAP and SMTP.
- Spam and virus filtering
- Built-in score-based spam checks include SPF and SURBL, and it can attach to ClamAV, SpamAssassin or ASSP.
- Administration tools
- hMailServer Administrator adds domains and accounts and changes settings. A web front end, hMailServer WebAdmin, covers the same tasks.
- Domains, routing and backup
- Lists virtual domains, routing, MX backup, multihoming, server-side rules, built-in backup and an SQL backend among its features.
- COM library
- A COM library lets scripts and other software drive the server, for example to create mailboxes for new employees automatically.
Plans
Axigen
Free Mail Server$0
10 domains, 10 users and 10 groups with webmail, calendaring, rules and filters.
BusinessCustom
Starting from 10 users; priced in the online configurator, not on a page we could read.
MSPCustom
Multi-customer plans starting from 150 users.
hMailServer
hMailServer$0
Free to download and run on your own Windows server under the AGPLv3 license.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Axigen or hMailServer?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Axigen publishes no starting price, and hMailServer is free.
Which has a free plan, Axigen or hMailServer?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Axigen and hMailServer have a free plan.
Which platforms do Axigen and hMailServer run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Axigen lists a web app and a Linux app. Both list a Windows app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.