Axigen vs GFI KerioConnect (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Axigen and GFI KerioConnect share a 2.2 GPA, and only Axigen has a free plan.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Axigen grades higher on the free plan. GFI KerioConnect grades higher on features. They get the same grade on value for money, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
GFI KerioConnect
Self-hosted business mail server with calendar, chat and local AI
Free trial
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 GFI KerioConnect if
- Fits if you want to run your own mail server for a business and keep the mail in-house
- Works for offices already on Outlook and ActiveSync phones that need a shared calendar
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you don't want to install and administer a server
- Skip it if you want a price to compare, as none is published and you go through a reseller
- Tight if you want a free plan, since all you get is a 30-day trial
- Watch out: the product is now branded GFI KerioConnect and its pages moved to gfi.ai
How we grade them
| 2.2GPAAxigenFair | 2.2GPAGFI KerioConnectFair | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | CNo price is published. The Buy now page sends you to a GFI reseller for a quote, so we can't place it against the $8 email middle. |
| 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. | C30-day trial with a download link and licence key sent by email. The listing doesn't say whether a card is needed, and there's no free plan. |
| Features | CMail, calendars, tasks, notes, contacts and sync with clients. Antimalware, antispam and premium blacklists are separate add-ons. | BMail, calendar, contacts, chat, security tools and local AI features in one server. Nothing in the listing shows a gap in the core job. |
| Ease of use | DNo store rating on record. It is a server you install and administer, through WebAdmin or the command line. | DIt is a server you install and administer yourself, not a hosted service. No store rating on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWindows, Linux and web, with sync for Outlook, Thunderbird and Apple Mail, plus Active Directory and OpenLDAP. | BRuns on Windows, Mac and Linux, and works with Outlook, ActiveSync phones, Spark and CalDAV and CardDAV clients. |
| Best for | a mail server with a free 10-user edition | a self-hosted business mail server |
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 GFI KerioConnect. How we grade
Where they differ
- GFI KerioConnect also covers shared inbox.
In commonWindowsLinuxSelf-hostableCalendarEmail client
At a glance
| Axigen | GFI KerioConnect | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | Not published | Not published |
| Free plan | Free Mail Server: 10 domains, 10 users, 10 groups, aliases and public folders, for home, small business and test use. | None |
| Free trial | Full-featured 60-day evaluation of the business mail server | 30-day free trial with a download link and licence key sent by email |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Axigen | GFI USA, LLC |
| Price read from | axigen.com | Not confirmed |
| 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.
GFI KerioConnect
- No prices are published; the Buy now page sends visitors to a certified GFI reseller for a quote.
- It is a server product that the buyer installs and administers, not a hosted mailbox service.
- The product is now branded GFI KerioConnect and its pages sit on gfi.ai.
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.
GFI KerioConnect
- Mail, calendar and collaboration
- Email sits beside shared calendars, contacts, tasks, notes, shared and public folders, and room booking with attendee availability.
- Client and mobile support
- Works with Outlook on Windows and Mac, native Mac apps and other IMAP or POP clients. Phones sync by Microsoft ActiveSync or IMAP, CalDAV and CardDAV.
- Local AI features
- The AI edition summarizes emails, drafts replies and flags phishing or compliance risks, and the vendor says it runs on on-premise models with no cloud APIs.
- Built-in security
- SSL encryption, S/MIME, spam filtering, an antivirus engine, attack blocking, automated backup with granular restore and server-wide archiving.
- Chat
- Integrated instant messaging is XMPP-compatible, so third-party chat apps can connect, with online status for colleagues.
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.
GFI KerioConnect
Pricing could not be confirmed. See gfi.ai.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Axigen or GFI KerioConnect?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Axigen publishes no starting price, and GFI KerioConnect has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, Axigen or GFI KerioConnect?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Axigen has a free plan. GFI KerioConnect does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do Axigen and GFI KerioConnect run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Axigen lists a web app and only GFI KerioConnect lists a macOS app. Both list Windows and Linux apps. 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.