Roundcube review (2026): is it any good?
Free open-source webmail client you host yourself
Roundcube report card
Fair · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 12, 2026
Best for webmail you host yourself
Roundcube is free webmail software under the GPL, with no limit on users or messages. But it is only a client: you supply the web server, a database and your own IMAP and SMTP servers, you install and update it yourself, and calendar and two-factor sign-in come from third-party plugins.
Who Roundcube is for
- Fits if you run your own mail server and want a webmail screen for it
- Works for hosting companies and admins who give users webmail
Who Roundcube is not for
- Skip it if you want a mailbox, because it only reads mail from your own IMAP and SMTP servers
- Not for you if you do not run a server, since you install and update it yourself
- Tight if you want a calendar or two-factor sign-in without plugins, as both are third-party
- Watch out: the site warns about scam emails that pretend to come from Roundcube
Why Roundcube gets a 2.0
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- CValue for moneyThe software costs nothing, but it is only free if you host it, which needs a server, PHP 8.1 or newer and a database. Software you host yourself is graded C.
- BFree plan and trialThe whole application is free with no user or message limit. You still pay for the server and mail service it runs on, so it is not free to a person with nothing.
- CFeaturesA mail client with an address book, shared folders, plugins and skins. It provides no mailbox, and calendar, two-factor sign-in and keyboard shortcuts come from third-party plugins.
- DEase of useSelf-hosting, with a web server and database to set up and keep updated. No store rating on record.
- CPlatforms and integrationsWeb only, in over 80 languages, with a responsive skin. Nextcloud is the only integration listed.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Roundcube's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
Make Roundcube? Put this grade on your site
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/roundcube#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/roundcube.svg" alt="Roundcube: 2.0 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where Roundcube stands among email apps
Roundcube's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 3 of the 70 other email apps we grade, and level with 8.
It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 47 of 70) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
Roundcube has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 1.7 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 71 email apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Roundcube’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 12 of 70, level with 22
- BFree plan and trialAbove 47 of 70, level with 7
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 70, level with 44
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 70
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 5 of 70, level with 19
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 67 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 Roundcube, or make your own?
Keep it
Roundcube 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: 59 of the 70 other email apps grade higher.
What you could not
- An email client: sending, receiving, threading and searching years of mail.
What this rests on. Roundcube’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 Roundcube?
Roundcube is a browser-based IMAP client with a desktop-style interface, an address book and folder management. It is free software released under the GPL that you install on your own web server and connect to an existing mail server. Since 2023 it has been hosted by Nextcloud.
Worth knowing
- It is a client only: it needs your own IMAP and SMTP servers and does not provide a mailbox.
- You install and update it yourself on a web server with PHP 8.1 or newer and a database.
- The site posts a warning about scam emails that pretend to come from Roundcube.
- Calendar, two-factor authentication and other extras come from third-party plugins.
Key features
- Full email client in the browser
- Drag-and-drop message management, threaded lists, MIME and HTML mail, spell checking and multiple sender identities.
- Address book
- Contacts with groups, find-as-you-type address entry and LDAP connectors.
- Shared folders and ACLs
- Supports shared and global IMAP folders and access control lists for them.
- Plugins and skins
- A plugin API and skin templates. Third-party additions listed include a calendar module, two-factor authentication and keyboard shortcuts.
- Security features
- Brute-force login prevention, XSS protection, OAuth login and support for PGP encryption.
- Multi-device interface
- A responsive skin, light and dark modes, three-column view and a translation into over 80 languages.
Roundcube pricing
As of Nov 12, 2026, Roundcube is free to use.
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- The whole application is free, with no limit on users or messages, but you host it yourself.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Roundcube Webmail | $0 | Free under the GPL with unlimited users and messages; you supply the web server, database and mail servers. |
Read from roundcube.net on Nov 12, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Roundcube before you buy.
Works with
Roundcube alternatives
- Roundcube vs Mailspring
Free plan · from $8/mo
- Roundcube vs Fastmail
Free trial · from $3/mo
Common questions
Does Roundcube have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Roundcube is listed for Web.
Does Roundcube have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Roundcube is listed for Web.
Is Roundcube open source?
Yes. Roundcube 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 12, 2026.