Cyrus IMAP
Email (IMAP/POP3), contacts and calendar server.
Cyrus IMAP vs Dovecot
Two self-hosted Communication - Email - Mail Delivery Agents apps, compared on the facts we track: GitHub popularity and activity, license, language, Docker images and a rough hosting estimate.
Side by side
| Cyrus IMAP | Dovecot | |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Email (IMAP/POP3), contacts and calendar server. | IMAP and POP3 server written primarily with security in mind. |
| GitHub stars | 653 | 1,278 |
| Forks | – | – |
| Open issues | – | – |
| Commits (12 months) | 2.8k | 2.2k |
| Last activity | 2026-11-04 | 2026-11-04 |
| Latest release | cyrus-imapd-3.8.8 (2026-09-09) | 2.4.5 (2026-08-28) |
| Maintenance health | Active | Active |
| License | BSD-3-Clause-Attribution | MIT, LGPL-2.1 |
| Language / platform | C | C, deb |
| Docker Hub image | – | – |
| Docker pulls | – | – |
| Est. server size | ~512 MB, 1 vCPU | ~512 MB, 1 vCPU |
| Est. hosting from | $3.5/mo | $3.5/mo |
| Categories | Communication - Email - Mail Delivery Agents | Communication - Email - Mail Delivery Agents |
| Links | Website · Source | Website · Source |
What the numbers say
- Dovecot is more popular on GitHub: 1.3k stars vs 653 for Cyrus IMAP.
- Cyrus IMAP published a release more recently (cyrus-imapd-3.8.8 on 2026-09-09; Dovecot's latest is 2.4.5 on 2026-08-28).
- Cyrus IMAP is licensed under BSD-3-Clause-Attribution, Dovecot under MIT, LGPL-2.1.
- Both are written in C.
- Deployment options listed upstream: Cyrus IMAP: none listed; Dovecot: deb.
Summary: Dovecot leads on GitHub popularity. The right choice depends on the features you need — read both project descriptions and docs.
This summary is generated from GitHub, Docker Hub and awesome-selfhosted data as of 2026-11-05. It does not rate features or quality.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cyrus IMAP or Dovecot more popular?
Dovecot has more GitHub stars (1,278 vs 653 for Cyrus IMAP, as of 2026-11-05). Stars measure interest, not quality.
Which is more actively maintained, Cyrus IMAP or Dovecot?
Commits in the last 12 months: Cyrus IMAP 2,821, Dovecot 2,181. Both had repository activity on 2026-11-04. Releases in the past year: Cyrus IMAP 10+, Dovecot 3. Our health labels: Cyrus IMAP is “Active”, Dovecot is “Active”.
What licenses do Cyrus IMAP and Dovecot use?
Cyrus IMAP: BSD-3-Clause-Attribution. Dovecot: MIT, LGPL-2.1.
Can I run Cyrus IMAP and Dovecot with Docker?
We did not detect a Docker Hub image for either app. Check each project's documentation for install options.
Read more
Dovecot
IMAP and POP3 server written primarily with security in mind.
Browse all self-hosted Communication - Email - Mail Delivery Agents apps.