Mail-in-a-Box
Turns any Ubuntu server into a fully functional mail server with one command.
Mail-in-a-Box vs Stalwart Mail Server
Two self-hosted Communication - Email - Complete Solutions apps, compared on the facts we track: GitHub popularity and activity, license, language, Docker images and a rough hosting estimate.
Side by side
| Mail-in-a-Box | Stalwart Mail Server | |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Turns any Ubuntu server into a fully functional mail server with one command. | All-in-one mail server with JMAP, IMAP4, and SMTP support and a wide range of modern features. |
| GitHub stars | 15,455 | 15,730 |
| Forks | – | – |
| Open issues | – | – |
| Commits (12 months) | 23 | 694 |
| Last activity | 2026-10-22 | 2026-11-04 |
| Latest release | v77 (2026-09-26) | v1.0.3 (2026-11-04) |
| Maintenance health | Active | Active |
| License | CC0-1.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language / platform | Shell | Rust, Docker |
| Docker Hub image | – | – |
| Docker pulls | – | – |
| Est. server size | ~4 GB, 2 vCPU | ~4 GB, 2 vCPU |
| Est. hosting from | $20/mo | $20/mo |
| Categories | Communication - Email - Complete Solutions | Communication - Email - Complete Solutions |
| Links | Website · Source | Website · Source |
What the numbers say
- Mail-in-a-Box and Stalwart Mail Server have a similar number of GitHub stars (15.5k vs 15.7k).
- Stalwart Mail Server had more commits in the last 12 months (694 vs 23).
- Stalwart Mail Server published a release more recently (v1.0.3 on 2026-11-04; Mail-in-a-Box's latest is v77 on 2026-09-26).
- Mail-in-a-Box is licensed under CC0-1.0, Stalwart Mail Server under AGPL-3.0. Mail-in-a-Box's license is permissive; Stalwart Mail Server's is copyleft (changes you distribute must stay open).
- Mail-in-a-Box is written in Shell; Stalwart Mail Server in Rust.
- Deployment options listed upstream: Mail-in-a-Box: none listed; Stalwart Mail Server: Docker.
Summary: Stalwart Mail Server leads on commit activity. 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 Mail-in-a-Box or Stalwart Mail Server more popular?
They are close: Mail-in-a-Box has 15,455 GitHub stars and Stalwart Mail Server has 15,730 (as of 2026-11-05).
Which is more actively maintained, Mail-in-a-Box or Stalwart Mail Server?
Stalwart Mail Server had more commits over the last 12 months (694 vs 23). The last recorded activity was 2026-10-22 for Mail-in-a-Box and 2026-11-04 for Stalwart Mail Server. Our health labels: Mail-in-a-Box is “Active”, Stalwart Mail Server is “Active”.
What licenses do Mail-in-a-Box and Stalwart Mail Server use?
Mail-in-a-Box: CC0-1.0. Stalwart Mail Server: AGPL-3.0. Mail-in-a-Box's license is permissive; Stalwart Mail Server's is copyleft (changes you distribute must stay open).
Can I run Mail-in-a-Box and Stalwart Mail Server with Docker?
We did not detect a Docker Hub image for either app. The upstream listing mentions Docker as a deployment option for Stalwart Mail Server. Check each project's documentation for install options.
Read more
Stalwart Mail Server
All-in-one mail server with JMAP, IMAP4, and SMTP support and a wide range of modern features.
Browse all self-hosted Communication - Email - Complete Solutions apps.