docker-mailserver vs mailcow (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, mailcow grades higher than docker-mailserver: 2.4 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
mailcow 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.
docker-mailserver
Self-hosted mail server packaged as a Docker container
Which one is for you
Pick docker-mailserver if
- Fits if you are comfortable with Docker and a config file and want your own mail server
- Works for people who read documentation and fix things themselves
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want a settings page, because setup is by files, variables and the command line
- Skip it if you want paid support, as help comes from the community and the docs
- Too much work if you don't want to handle DNS, TLS certificates and deliverability
- Watch out: the listing shows no webmail or admin screen
Pick mailcow if
- Fits if you want to run your own mail for a domain or two and know Docker
- Works for admins who want webmail and calendars from one install
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you don't want to look after a server
- Skip it if you want guaranteed help, as support is community best-effort
- Watch out: the key pair for stored mail sits in a Docker volume you must back up
- Watch out: managed mailcow comes from Servercow, whose prices we did not read
How we grade them
| 1.8GPAdocker-mailserverWeak | 2.4GPAmailcowFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CFree under MIT, but it only runs on a Docker host you look after, so self-hosted free is a C. | CFree software, but you rent and run the server, so it's a C by our rule. |
| Free plan and trial | BFree outright, no plan limits. You need your own Docker host, so a B and not an A. | BThe software is free with nothing held back. Paid support is a separate subscription from Servercow. |
| Features | CSMTP, IMAP, antispam, antivirus, Sieve and account provisioning in one container. It does the server job but the listing shows no web admin panel or webmail. | BA full mail stack with web admin, SOGo webmail, groups, shared resources, two-factor sign-in and mailbox migration. The listing shows no gap in the job. |
| Ease of use | DNo store rating on record. Configuration is by files, environment variables and command-line tools, per its own docs, so a D. | DYou run Docker, DNS records, TLS and backups of the volumes yourself. |
| Platforms and integrations | DLinux and Docker only. It connects through Postfix, Dovecot, Rspamd, Fail2Ban and ClamAV and has no apps. | BA web admin and webmail, with Outlook, Thunderbird, Keycloak, Nextcloud and Roundcube connections. No apps of its own. |
| Best for | a mail server in one Docker container | a mail server in Docker |
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: docker-mailserver and mailcow. How we grade
Price against what you get
docker-mailserver has no paid plan and scores 1.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. mailcow has no paid plan and scores 2.3.
mailcow scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other email apps on the chart, none scores higher than docker-mailserver for less, and none scores higher than mailcow 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
- mailcow also covers calendar and email client.
At a glance
| docker-mailserver | mailcow | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Free and open source under the MIT license; you run the container yourself. | The software is free to run on your own server, with best-effort community support. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | docker-mailserver community | The Infrastructure Company GmbH |
| Price read from | github.com | docs.mailcow.email |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
docker-mailserver
- Configuration is done through files, environment variables and command-line tooling, per the documentation.
- Setup and upkeep, including DNS, TLS certificates and deliverability, are on you.
- Support comes from the community and documentation, not a paid plan.
mailcow
- You run the server yourself: DNS records, TLS, backups of the Docker volumes and updates are yours to manage.
- Official support is community-driven and best-effort; paid support is a separate subscription sold by Servercow.
- Stored mail is compressed and encrypted, and the key pair sits in a Docker volume that must be backed up.
- A managed mailcow is sold by Servercow, whose pages are in German and whose prices were not read here.
Key features
docker-mailserver
- All-in-one container
- The GitHub project describes a production-ready, full-stack mail server running inside a container.
- Postfix and Dovecot
- The documentation names Postfix as the MTA and Dovecot as the MDA.
- Spam and malware filtering
- Rspamd and Fail2Ban are documented, along with DKIM, DMARC and SPF setup.
- Account provisioning
- Accounts can come from files or from an LDAP service, and OAuth2 authentication is documented.
- Sieve filtering
- Email filtering with Sieve is documented, plus a forward-only mode with LDAP.
mailcow
- Complete mail stack in containers
- Postfix, Dovecot, Rspamd spam filtering, optional ClamAV scanning, an Unbound resolver and automatic Let's Encrypt certificates.
- Web admin interface
- Create domains and mailboxes, manage aliases, DKIM and ARC keys, allow and block lists, quarantine and per-user spam scores.
- SOGo webmail and sync
- SOGo provides the webmailer plus CalDAV and CardDAV, with ActiveSync device support.
- Groups and shared resources
- Groups with distribution lists, send-as permissions, shared mailboxes and shared calendars.
- Sign-in and two-factor options
- Login through Keycloak, LDAP or Active Directory, or OIDC, plus TOTP, Yubikey OTP and WebAuthn.
- Mailbox migration
- Built-in imapsync jobs pull or migrate mail from remote mailboxes, including Microsoft 365 and Google over OAuth2.
Plans
docker-mailserver
Free$0
Open source under the MIT license. Run it on your own Docker host.
mailcow
mailcow: dockerized$0
Free open-source software you host yourself; community support is voluntary and carries no guarantee.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, docker-mailserver or mailcow?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both docker-mailserver and mailcow are free to use.
Which has a free plan, docker-mailserver or mailcow?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both docker-mailserver and mailcow have a free plan.
Which platforms do docker-mailserver and mailcow run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only docker-mailserver lists a Linux app and only mailcow lists a web 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.