The SnappyMail Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about SnappyMail in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
SnappyMail
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source webmail client you install on your own server
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among email apps, read from SnappyMail’s own pages.
Made by SnappyMail (open-source project) · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from SnappyMail’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on SnappyMail’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
1.8
GPA, above 2 of the 122 other email apps we grade
SnappyMail is a web-based email client that you host yourself. It is a fork of RainLoop rebuilt for current browsers, and its project site describes it as simple, modern, lightweight and fast. It connects to an existing mail server and needs no database.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about SnappyMail, taken from its own pages and our grades.
- 1
Best for a self-hosted webmail page for your IMAP server
SnappyMail is a small webmail page you put in front of a mail server you already have, and it needs no database.
- 2
It is free
SnappyMail has no paid plan at all. Free and open source under the AGPL-3.0 license; you run it on your own PHP server.
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
Light page weight
The project site says the mobile page boots with roughly 138 KB of download using Brotli compression.
- 5
No database needed
The GitHub readme lists simple installation and upgrades, and says no database is required.
- 6
OpenPGP support
The readme says the fork ships OpenPGP.js v5 and has much better PGP support than the RainLoop code it came from.
- 7
A 1.8 GPA, above 2 of 122
That is against the other email apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
SnappyMail is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
SnappyMail at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- SnappyMail (open-source project)
- Category
- Email Apps
- Our grade
- 1.8 GPA, weak
The report card
Best for a self-hosted webmail page for your IMAP server
SnappyMail is a small webmail page you put in front of a mail server you already have, and it needs no database. But it is only the front end, it needs PHP 8.2 or newer on a server you run, and there are no phone or desktop apps.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Free under the AGPL-3.0 licence, but only if you host it, and that needs a PHP server. Self-hosted free is a C for value, not an A. |
| Free plan and trial | C | Free outright, no plan limits. The catch is that you need your own server first, so it is a B and not an A. |
| Features | D | It does the webmail job fully: IMAP, OpenPGP, plugins. It is a smaller job though, since it sends and receives nothing without a separate mail server. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. It needs PHP 8.2+ and the mbstring extension, so install and upgrades fall on you. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Web only. The listing names no apps and no integrations, and Internet Explorer and Edge Legacy are not supported. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who SnappyMail is for
- Fits if you already run an IMAP server and want a light web front end for it
- Works for hosts who like open-source software and are happy to run PHP themselves
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want a mail server, because it sends and receives nothing on its own
- Not for you if you don't have a server, since there is no hosted version in the listing
- Too light for anyone who wants calendars, tasks or team sharing built in
- Watch out: it needs PHP 8.2 or newer with the mbstring extension
- Watch out: Internet Explorer and Edge Legacy don't work with it
Good to know
Good for
- Admins who want a small self-hosted webmail front end
- Hosts that already run an IMAP mail server
- Users who prefer open-source software
Worth knowing
- It is a webmail front end only; you still need a separate mail server to send and receive mail.
- Needs PHP 8.2 or newer and the mbstring extension, per the GitHub readme.
- Internet Explorer and Edge Legacy are not supported.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
SnappyMail is free to use.
Self-hosted free is a C for value, not an A.
Free
$0
Open source under AGPL-3.0. You host it yourself on a server running PHP 8.2 or newer.
The free plan
Free and open source under the AGPL-3.0 license; you run it on your own PHP server.
Read from github.com on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Open-source webmail client you install on your own server. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, email client.
It does the webmail job fully: IMAP, OpenPGP, plugins.
- Light page weight
- The project site says the mobile page boots with roughly 138 KB of download using Brotli compression.
- No database needed
- The GitHub readme lists simple installation and upgrades, and says no database is required.
- OpenPGP support
- The readme says the fork ships OpenPGP.js v5 and has much better PGP support than the RainLoop code it came from.
- Plugins
- Features such as password change are built as plugins, and plugins can be loaded as .phar files.
- Broad IMAP support
- The readme lists support for many more IMAP standards than the original RainLoop client.
- Live demo
- A demo of the client is published on the project site.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
SnappyMail is made by SnappyMail (open-source project).
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
2/122
Other email apps it is graded above
SnappyMail'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 ease of use (C, above 20 of 122) and worst on features (D, above 0).
SnappyMail 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 123 email apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. SnappyMail’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 13 of 122
- CFree plan and trialAbove 9 of 122
- DFeaturesAbove 0 of 122
- CEase of useAbove 20 of 122
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 10 of 122
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 107 email apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. SnappyMail is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
SnappyMail 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
- An email client: sending, receiving, threading and searching years of mail.
What this rests on. SnappyMail’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.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Roundcube, Horde, SOGo, Cypht and Afterlogic WebMail
The 5 tools SnappyMail is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.0GPA
Roundcube
Free
- 2.4GPA
Horde
Free
Free open-source webmail, calendar, contacts and tasks suite.
- Horde also covers notes, tasks and calendar.
- 2.2GPA
SOGo
Free
Open-source groupware with webmail, calendars and contacts.
- SOGo also covers calendar.
- 2.0GPA
Cypht
Free
Open-source webmail that combines many accounts in one inbox.
- Cypht also covers inbox filtering.
- 2.6GPA
Afterlogic WebMail
Free plan · from $49 one-time
Webmail front end for an existing IMAP mail server.
- Afterlogic WebMail also covers calendar.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
11
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is SnappyMail free?
Yes. SnappyMail is free to use.
How much does SnappyMail cost?
SnappyMail lists one plan. Free: $0.
What platforms does SnappyMail work on?
SnappyMail is available on Web.
Does SnappyMail have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. SnappyMail is listed for Web.
Does SnappyMail have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. SnappyMail is listed for Web.
Is SnappyMail open source?
Yes. SnappyMail is open source, according to its own site.
Who makes SnappyMail?
SnappyMail is made by SnappyMail (open-source project).
What are the alternatives to SnappyMail?
The closest alternatives to SnappyMail in our directory are Roundcube, Horde, SOGo, Cypht and Afterlogic WebMail.
How does SnappyMail compare with other email apps?
SnappyMail's GPA of 1.8 is higher than 2 of the 122 other email apps we grade, and level with 8.
Is SnappyMail good value for money?
ToolGPA grades SnappyMail C for value for money. SnappyMail has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of SnappyMail?
SnappyMail is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from SnappyMail’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from SnappyMail's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by SnappyMail (open-source project). Prices change, so check snappymail.eu before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- SnappyMail, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/snappymail
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "SnappyMail: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/snappymail
Know someone choosing between email apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/snappymail/guide
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See our other guides
The best-graded email apps after SnappyMail, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Email Apps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 126 email apps we grade, compared
- Microsoft Outlook Insider's GuideMicrosoft's email and calendar app for desktop, mobile and web3.6 GPA
- AOL Mail Insider's GuideFree webmail with news and weather in a companion mobile app3.2 GPA
- BlueMail Insider's GuideCross-platform email client with a unified inbox and built-in AI3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what SnappyMail’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. SnappyMail is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by SnappyMail (open-source project). Prices and plans change: check snappymail.eu before you buy.