Cypht vs Horde (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Horde grades higher than Cypht: 2.4 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Horde grades higher on features and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan 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 Cypht if
- Fits if you juggle several mailboxes and want them in one self-hosted screen
- Works for people who like switching modules on and off and don't mind PHP
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a mail server, because it is a client and your mail stays elsewhere
- Not for you if you don't want to install and maintain software yourself
- Too light for anyone who needs phone or desktop apps, which the site doesn't list
- Watch out: you need to run and update it yourself on your own server
Pick Horde if
- Fits if you already run a mail server and want webmail in front of it
- Works for people who like open-source suites and don't need a company behind it
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you don't want to run and update a server
- Skip it if you want a support contract, as support is the community or a third-party sponsor
- Watch out: Horde 6 and IMP 7 shipped with rough edges and a security fix soon after
- Watch out: no vendor means no service-level guarantee
How we grade them
| 2.0GPACyphtFair | 2.4GPAHordeFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CFree under LGPL v2.1, but you host it, and that needs a server. Self-hosted free is a C for value. | CFree, but only if you host it yourself, so there's a server to pay for. |
| Free plan and trial | BFree outright with no caps. You need to install it yourself, which keeps it at B and not A. | BThe whole suite is free under open-source licences, with no paid tier. You supply the server. |
| Features | CA combined inbox, several protocols, Sieve filters and search across accounts. It is a client only, so mail still lives with other providers. | BWebmail, calendar, contacts, tasks, CalDAV, CardDAV and ActiveSync. Nothing in the listing shows a gap in the groupware job. |
| Ease of use | DNo store rating on record. The site offers an installation guide and a config generator, which means setup is on you. | DYou install and maintain it yourself, on top of a mail server. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb interface only; the site lists no desktop or mobile apps. Its short integration list is Gmail, Outlook and Office 365. | BA web interface with sync to other clients over CalDAV, CardDAV and ActiveSync. No apps of its own. |
| Best for | one self-hosted inbox for several email accounts | free webmail and groupware you host yourself |
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: Cypht and Horde. How we grade
Price against what you get
Cypht has no paid plan and scores 1.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Horde has no paid plan and scores 2.3.
Horde scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other email apps on the chart, none scores higher than Cypht for less, and none scores higher than Horde for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Cypht also covers inbox filtering.
- Horde also covers notes, tasks and calendar.
In commonFree planWebOpen sourceSelf-hostableEmail client
At a glance
| Cypht | Horde | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Free and open source under the LGPL v2.1 license; you host it yourself. | The whole suite is free to download and run yourself; the project sells no paid tier. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Cypht | Horde Project |
| Price read from | cypht.org | horde.org |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Cypht
- It is a webmail client, not a mail server; mail still lives with your existing providers.
- You install and maintain it yourself; the site offers an installation guide and a config generator.
- The site lists no desktop or mobile apps, only the web interface.
Horde
- You install and maintain it yourself; it is a client and groupware layer that needs your own mail server.
- Support is community-based; the project points to B1 Systems for paid hosting and support.
- The project blog describes recent releases (Horde 6, IMP 7) with rough edges and a security fix shortly after launch.
- It is community-maintained with no vendor behind it, so there is no service-level guarantee.
Key features
Cypht
- Combined inbox
- Combined inbox, unread, sent and flagged views span every connected account and RSS feed, alongside normal folder navigation.
- Several protocols
- The site says it reads mail over IMAP, JMAP and EWS and sends over SMTP, through one interface.
- Sieve filters
- Server-side Sieve filtering can move, copy or delete messages by sender, subject, keywords or recipient.
- Module system
- Features are delivered as module sets that can be added or customized without touching the core code.
- Search across accounts
- One search covers all connected email accounts and RSS feeds.
- Compose options
- Messages can be written in plain text, HTML or Markdown, with signature options per profile.
Horde
- Webmail client
- IMAP and POP3 mail with 3-pane and 3-column layouts, conversation view, filtering, searching and a WYSIWYG composer.
- Message security
- Encrypting and signing messages with S/MIME and PGP, plus quota support and shared IMAP folders.
- Calendars, contacts and tasks
- Shared calendars, address books, task lists and notepads, with unlimited resources per user.
- Sync with other clients
- CalDAV, CardDAV and ActiveSync support, plus responsive, basic and mobile interfaces.
- Wider app suite
- Applications for files, bookmarks, time tracking and more can be added, and the PHP libraries underneath are reusable.
- Translations
- The groupware pages say it is translated into 41 languages, including right-to-left scripts.
Plans
Cypht
Free$0
Open source under LGPL v2.1. Installed on your own server.
Horde
Horde Groupware$0
Free LGPL and GPL software you host yourself. Paid support comes from third-party sponsors such as B1 Systems.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Cypht or Horde?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Cypht and Horde are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Cypht or Horde?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Cypht and Horde have a free plan.
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.