Axigen vs SmarterMail (2026): which should you pick?

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 SmarterMail if

• Fits if you run up to 10 mailboxes on one domain and want a free server
• Works for small hosts who need webmail and shared calendars

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you need to know the licence term, as the pricing page doesn't say one-time or annual
• Pricey if you add ActiveSync, MAPI/EWS or the antispam and antivirus engines
• Tight if you need meetings, chat or archiving, which are Enterprise only
• Watch out: antispam and antivirus add-ons need an annual licence with active maintenance

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.

SmarterMail

• ActiveSync (from $325 for 25 mailboxes), MAPI/EWS and the antispam and antivirus engines are paid add-ons.
• The pricing page does not say whether base licenses are one-time or annual.
• Antispam and antivirus add-ons need an annual license with active maintenance and support.

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.

SmarterMail

Webmail

A browser interface the vendor compares to Outlook on the web, with calendars, contacts, notes and tasks.

Shared collaboration

Shared calendars, contacts, tasks and notes, plus file storage under your own control.

Meetings and chat

Enterprise adds online meetings with screen sharing, scheduling and voice and video chat.

Archiving

Built-in archiving of email and chats for regulatory needs such as SOX and HIPAA.

Outlook and mobile sync

Enterprise can add MAPI and EWS for Outlook and Exchange ActiveSync for phones, both priced separately.

High availability

A clustered edition with hubs, nodes and centralized storage for fault tolerance.

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.

SmarterMail

• Free$0

  One domain, up to 10 mailboxes; the vendor says it has 99% of Enterprise functionality.

• Professional$550

  for 50 mailboxes; billing term not shown

  Webmail, shared calendars, contacts, tasks, notes, file storage. $2,500 for unlimited.

• Enterprise$700

  for 50 mailboxes; billing term not shown

  Adds meetings, scheduling, chat and archiving. $1,500 at 500 mailboxes.

• Enterprise, unlimited$3,200

  for unlimited mailboxes; billing term not shown

  Enterprise edition with no mailbox cap.

• High Availability$250

  per hub / month; nodes $300 per month

  Clustered hubs and nodes for unlimited users and domains; first 30 days free.