Mailu vs Modoboa (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Modoboa grades higher than Mailu: 2.2 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Modoboa grades higher on features. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, ease of use 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 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
Pick Modoboa if
- Fits if you want to run your own mail for several domains with one admin panel
- Works for admins who already look after Linux servers and DNS
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you don't want to run DNS, deliverability and updates yourself
- Skip it if you want paid support built in: installation starts at EUR 150 and issue help at EUR 120
- Too heavy for one person who just wants an inbox
- Watch out: parts of its development are funded by sponsoring campaigns with euro targets
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAMailuFair | 2.2GPAModoboaFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CFree to run yourself, with a server to provide. The docs ask for 1 GB of memory, or 3 GB with antivirus. | CFree and open source (ISC licence) with unlimited domains and mailboxes, but only if you host it. Self-hosted free is a C for value. |
| Free plan and trial | BThe whole server is free software, with no paid plan. You provide the machine and the upkeep. | BFree outright. You need your own server to run it, so a B. |
| Features | CStandard mail, webmail, an admin panel, spam filtering and security options. The project says it avoids groupware, so calendars and contacts are missing. | BA full stack in one installer: admin panel, webmail, filters, auto-responder, sender reputation tools and monitoring. We found no gap in the mail-server job in the listing. |
| Ease of use | DYou run Docker or Kubernetes, DNS records and TLS yourself. | DNo store rating on record. You run the server, DNS and mail delivery yourself, which is a D whatever the quick installer promises. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb admin and webmail, with Docker, Kubernetes and Let's Encrypt. No apps of its own. | CWeb admin and webmail only, on a server you run. It lists Postfix, Dovecot, Rspamd and Let's Encrypt, but no apps. |
| Best for | a simple Docker mail server | a self-hosted mail server with an admin panel |
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: Mailu and Modoboa. How we grade
Price against what you get
Mailu has no paid plan and scores 1.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Modoboa has no paid plan and scores 2.0.
Modoboa scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other email apps on the chart, none scores higher than Mailu for less, and none scores higher than Modoboa 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
- Mailu also covers dMARC.
- Modoboa also covers calendar.
In commonFree planWebOpen sourceSelf-hostableEmail client
At a glance
| Mailu | Modoboa | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | The whole mail server is free software; you provide the server, domain and upkeep. | The software is free and open source (ISC license on GitHub); you host it on your own server. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Mailu project | NGYNLABS |
| Price read from | mailu.io | modoboa.org |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
Modoboa
- You run and maintain the server yourself, including DNS and deliverability.
- Paid help is offered separately: installation from EUR 150 and issue assistance from EUR 120, per the site.
- Features are funded partly through sponsoring campaigns with euro targets.
Key features
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.
Modoboa
- Admin panel
- A web panel manages domains, mailboxes, aliases and more.
- Built-in webmail
- Users can read mail in a browser through the bundled webmail, which also has calendars and address books.
- Filters and auto-responder
- Users can create filtering rules and an auto-responder.
- Sender reputation tools
- The site says DKIM, SPF and DMARC are used to protect delivery, and TLS certificates come from Let's Encrypt.
- Monitoring
- Built-in graphs show message distribution by type and average size.
- Quick installer
- The site says the installer handles most of the work and you only need to configure DNS.
Plans
Mailu
Mailu$0
Free software you host yourself. The docs list 1 GB of memory without antivirus or 3 GB with it.
Modoboa
Free$0
Open-source mail server you install yourself, with unlimited domains, mailboxes and aliases.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Mailu or Modoboa?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Mailu and Modoboa are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Mailu or Modoboa?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Mailu and Modoboa 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.