Cypht vs SnappyMail (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Cypht grades higher than SnappyMail: 2.0 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Cypht grades higher on the free plan and features. SnappyMail grades higher on ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money and platforms.
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 SnappyMail if
- Fits if you already run an IMAP server and want a light web front end for it
- Works for hosts who like open-source software and are happy to run PHP themselves
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a mail server, because it sends and receives nothing on its own
- Not for you if you don't have a server, since there is no hosted version in the listing
- Too light for anyone who wants calendars, tasks or team sharing built in
- Watch out: it needs PHP 8.2 or newer with the mbstring extension
- Watch out: Internet Explorer and Edge Legacy don't work with it
How we grade them
| 2.0GPACyphtFair | 1.8GPASnappyMailWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 under the AGPL-3.0 licence, but only if you host it, and that needs a PHP server. Self-hosted free is a C for value, not an A. |
| Free plan and trial | BFree outright with no caps. You need to install it yourself, which keeps it at B and not A. | CFree outright, no plan limits. The catch is that you need your own server first, so it is a B and not an A. |
| Features | CA combined inbox, several protocols, Sieve filters and search across accounts. It is a client only, so mail still lives with other providers. | DIt does the webmail job fully: IMAP, OpenPGP, plugins. It is a smaller job though, since it sends and receives nothing without a separate mail server. |
| Ease of use | DNo store rating on record. The site offers an installation guide and a config generator, which means setup is on you. | CNo store rating on record. It needs PHP 8.2+ and the mbstring extension, so install and upgrades fall on you. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb interface only; the site lists no desktop or mobile apps. Its short integration list is Gmail, Outlook and Office 365. | CWeb only. The listing names no apps and no integrations, and Internet Explorer and Edge Legacy are not supported. |
| Best for | one self-hosted inbox for several email accounts | a self-hosted webmail page for your IMAP 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: Cypht and SnappyMail. 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. SnappyMail has no paid plan and scores 1.7.
On this chart the two sit in the same place: the same score 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 SnappyMail 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.
In commonFree planWebOpen sourceSelf-hostableEmail client
At a glance
| Cypht | SnappyMail | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Free and open source under the LGPL v2.1 license; you host it yourself. | Free and open source under the AGPL-3.0 license; you run it on your own PHP server. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Cypht | SnappyMail (open-source project) |
| Price read from | cypht.org | github.com |
| 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.
SnappyMail
- It is a webmail front end only; you still need a separate mail server to send and receive mail.
- Needs PHP 8.2 or newer and the mbstring extension, per the GitHub readme.
- Internet Explorer and Edge Legacy are not supported.
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.
SnappyMail
- Light page weight
- The project site says the mobile page boots with roughly 138 KB of download using Brotli compression.
- No database needed
- The GitHub readme lists simple installation and upgrades, and says no database is required.
- OpenPGP support
- The readme says the fork ships OpenPGP.js v5 and has much better PGP support than the RainLoop code it came from.
- Plugins
- Features such as password change are built as plugins, and plugins can be loaded as .phar files.
- Broad IMAP support
- The readme lists support for many more IMAP standards than the original RainLoop client.
- Live demo
- A demo of the client is published on the project site.
Plans
Cypht
Free$0
Open source under LGPL v2.1. Installed on your own server.
SnappyMail
Free$0
Open source under AGPL-3.0. You host it yourself on a server running PHP 8.2 or newer.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Cypht or SnappyMail?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Cypht and SnappyMail are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Cypht or SnappyMail?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Cypht and SnappyMail 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.