iRedMail vs Mailu (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Mailu grades higher than iRedMail: 2.0 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Mailu grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
iRedMail
Open-source mail server installer for Linux and BSD
Which one is for you
Pick iRedMail if
- Fits if you want to build your own mail server in one go on Linux or BSD
- Works for admins who will look after backups, DNS and updates
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you need the full admin panel: iRedAdmin-Pro is $499 a year for one server, $250 to renew
- Skip it if you want support, as the Pro licence does not include support for iRedMail itself
- Not for you if you run Windows or macOS servers
- Watch out: the Enterprise Edition price was not readable on the site
- Watch out: SOGo is missing on some newer Linux releases
Pick Mailu if
- Fits if you want your own mail server in Docker and no groupware
- Works for admins who like plain compose files
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want calendars and contacts, since the project says it avoids groupware
- Skip it if you don't want to run the server, DNS and backups
- Watch out: support is the community and contributors, and no paid plan exists
- Watch out: the docs are versioned, so make sure you read the one for your version
How we grade them
| 1.8GPAiRedMailWeak | 2.0GPAMailuFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CThe installer is free, but self-hosted is a C. The fuller admin panel iRedAdmin-Pro is $499 for 1 year per server, then $250 a year to renew, and sales are final. | CFree to run yourself, with a server to provide. The docs ask for 1 GB of memory, or 3 GB with antivirus. |
| Free plan and trial | BThe installer and a basic admin panel are free with unlimited domains, mailboxes and lists. You need your own server. | BThe whole server is free software, with no paid plan. You provide the machine and the upkeep. |
| Features | CInstalls the stack with webmail, groupware, antispam and antivirus and lets you pick backends. The full admin panel and Enterprise Edition cost extra. | CStandard mail, webmail, an admin panel, spam filtering and security options. The project says it avoids groupware, so calendars and contacts are missing. |
| Ease of use | DNo store rating on record. You run the server yourself on a supported Linux or BSD release, so a D. | DYou run Docker or Kubernetes, DNS records and TLS yourself. |
| Platforms and integrations | DLinux and BSD servers only. SOGo is not available on some releases such as CentOS Stream, Rocky and Alma 10. | CWeb admin and webmail, with Docker, Kubernetes and Let's Encrypt. No apps of its own. |
| Best for | a free Linux or BSD mail server installer | a simple Docker 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: iRedMail and Mailu. How we grade
Price against what you get
iRedMail starts at $20.83 a month when paid by the year and scores 1.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Mailu has no paid plan and scores 1.7.
Mailu scores higher and starts $20.83 a month lower. Of the other email apps on the chart, 97 score higher than iRedMail for less, and none scores higher than Mailu 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
- iRedMail also covers calendar.
- Mailu also covers dMARC.
At a glance
| iRedMail | Mailu | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $499 for a 1-year iRedAdmin-Pro license, $250 per year to renew | Free |
| Free plan | iRedMail itself is free and open source, with a free basic web admin panel. | The whole mail server is free software; you provide the server, domain and upkeep. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | iRedMail | Mailu project |
| Price read from | iredmail.org | mailu.io |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
iRedMail
- The iRedAdmin-Pro license covers one server, and support for iRedMail itself is not included.
- Runs on supported Linux and BSD releases; SOGo is not available on some of them (CentOS Stream, Rocky and Alma 10).
- The site recommends Enterprise Edition for new servers; its per-mailbox or per-server price was not readable.
Mailu
- You provide and maintain the server, DNS records, TLS and backups yourself.
- The project says it aims to avoid groupware features, so calendars and contacts are not part of the core.
- Support is from the community and contributors; no paid plan appears on the site.
- The documentation is versioned, so check you are reading the version you run.
Key features
iRedMail
- Full stack installer
- Installs and configures the mail server components in a few minutes, per the site.
- Webmail and groupware
- Roundcube webmail and SOGo groupware, which adds CalDAV, CardDAV, tasks and ActiveSync.
- Antispam and antivirus
- SpamAssassin, ClamAV, SPF, DKIM, greylisting, whitelisting and blacklisting are listed.
- Choice of backends
- Accounts can be stored in OpenLDAP, MySQL, MariaDB or PostgreSQL.
- Unlimited accounts
- The site says there is no limit on domains, users, mailing lists or admins.
- Enterprise Edition
- A separate edition with Active Directory replication, domain admins, throttling and two-factor authentication.
Mailu
- Standard mail server
- IMAP, SMTP and submission with auto-configuration profiles for mail clients.
- Webmail and admin interface
- Includes web access to mail and an admin interface with global admins, per-domain delegation, announcements and quotas.
- User mail features
- Aliases, domain aliases, auto-reply, auto-forward, fetched accounts, ManageSieve and full-text search of attachments.
- Security options
- Enforced TLS, DANE, MTA-STS, Let's Encrypt, outgoing DKIM, an antivirus scanner and blocking of malicious attachments.
- Spam filtering
- Auto-learning, greylisting, DMARC and SPF checks and anti-spoofing.
- Compose and Kubernetes setups
- Documented Docker Compose and Kubernetes installs, a RESTful API and a command line for administration.
Plans
iRedMail
iRedMail$0
Open-source installer with unlimited domains, mailboxes and mailing lists.
iRedAdmin-Pro, 1 year$499
per server, for a 1-year license
Full admin panel, SQL or LDAP edition. Renews at $250 per year; sales are final.
iRedAdmin-Pro, 2 years$699
per server, for a 2-year license
Same panel; renew before expiry for the third year.
iRedAdmin-Pro, 3 years$899
per server, for a 3-year license
Same panel; renew before expiry for the fourth year.
Mailu
Mailu$0
Free software you host yourself. The docs list 1 GB of memory without antivirus or 3 GB with it.
Ways to pay less
iRedMail
- Other savings
5% off two licenses, 10% off four
The iRedAdmin-Pro order page gives 5% off when buying 2 licenses and 10% off when buying 4.
Mailu
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, iRedMail or Mailu?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Mailu is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $20.83 a month when paid by the year for iRedMail. iRedMail starts at $499 for a 1-year iRedAdmin-Pro license, $250 per year to renew, and Mailu is free.
Which has a free plan, iRedMail or Mailu?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both iRedMail and Mailu have a free plan.
Which platforms do iRedMail and Mailu run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only iRedMail lists a Linux app and only Mailu 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.