hMailServer review (2026): is it any good?
Free open-source mail server that runs on Windows
hMailServer report card
Weak · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 13, 2026
Best for a free mail server for Windows
hMailServer is a free open-source mail server that runs on Windows. It has no built-in webmail, support is a community forum, and the latest stable release is 5.7.1.
Who hMailServer is for
- Fits if you already run a Windows server and want mail on it
- Works for admins who add Roundcube or SquirrelMail on top
Who hMailServer is not for
- Skip it if you don't run Windows, as there's no Linux or macOS build
- Skip it if you want webmail included, since it's a server only
- Skip it if you want direct help from the developers, as support is a community forum
- Watch out: 5.7.1 is the latest stable, with 5.7.2 still a beta
Why hMailServer gets a 1.8
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- CValue for moneyFree, but it needs a Windows server of your own.
- BFree plan and trialFree under the AGPL with no paid plans. You supply the Windows machine.
- CFeaturesStandard mail protocols, spam and virus filtering, domains, routing and backup. It's a server only, with no webmail, so you add one.
- DEase of useYou install and administer a server yourself, and add a webmail separately.
- DPlatforms and integrationsWindows only. The site lists no Linux or macOS build.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from the hMailServer project's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/hmailserver#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/hmailserver.svg" alt="hMailServer: 1.8 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where hMailServer stands among email apps
hMailServer's GPA of 1.8 is higher than 2 of the 122 other email apps we grade, and level with 8.
It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 69 of 122) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
hMailServer has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 1.3 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 123 email apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. hMailServer’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 13 of 122, level with 53
- BFree plan and trialAbove 69 of 122, level with 27
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 122, level with 77
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 122, level with 19
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 122, level with 9
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 107 email apps. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
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
Keep hMailServer, or make your own?
Keep it
hMailServer is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 112 of the 122 other email apps grade higher.
What you could not
- Connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
- A real app for Windows. Something home-made would be a web page.
What this rests on. hMailServer’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is hMailServer?
hMailServer is a mail server for Windows that handles IMAP, POP3 and SMTP. It has no mail interface of its own, so users read mail in an email client or in a separate webmail system. It is released under the AGPLv3 license and managed through an administration tool or a web front end.
Worth knowing
- Runs on Microsoft Windows only; the site lists no Linux or macOS build.
- It is a server only, with no built-in webmail, so a separate webmail or mail client is needed.
- Support comes through a community forum, not from the developers directly.
- The latest stable release on the download page is 5.7.1; 5.7.2 is listed as a beta.
Key features
- Standard mail protocols
- Supports POP3, SMTP and IMAP4, so it works with most email clients and with webmail systems that use IMAP and SMTP.
- Spam and virus filtering
- Built-in score-based spam checks include SPF and SURBL, and it can attach to ClamAV, SpamAssassin or ASSP.
- Administration tools
- hMailServer Administrator adds domains and accounts and changes settings. A web front end, hMailServer WebAdmin, covers the same tasks.
- Domains, routing and backup
- Lists virtual domains, routing, MX backup, multihoming, server-side rules, built-in backup and an SQL backend among its features.
- COM library
- A COM library lets scripts and other software drive the server, for example to create mailboxes for new employees automatically.
hMailServer pricing
As of Nov 13, 2026, hMailServer is free to use.
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- Free and open source under the AGPLv3 license, with no paid plans.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| hMailServer | $0 | Free to download and run on your own Windows server under the AGPLv3 license. |
Read from hmailserver.com on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with hMailServer before you buy.
Works with
- ClamAV
- SpamAssassin
- ASSP
- Roundcube
- SquirrelMail
hMailServer alternatives
- hMailServer vs MDaemon
Free trial
- hMailServer vs SmarterMail
Free plan · from $550
- hMailServer vs Axigen
Free plan
- hMailServer vs IceWarp
Free trial · from $1.50/mo
- hMailServer vs iRedMail
Free plan · from $499/yr
Common questions
Does hMailServer have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. hMailServer is listed for Windows.
Does hMailServer have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. hMailServer is listed for Windows.
Is hMailServer open source?
Yes. hMailServer is open source, according to its own site. It can also be run on a server of your own.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 13, 2026.