Docker Mailserver by docker-mailserver
Production-ready fullstack but simple mail server (SMTP, IMAP, LDAP, Antispam, Antivirus, etc.) running inside a container.
About Docker Mailserver
From the project's README at github.com/docker-mailserver/docker-mailserver. Lightly cleaned for readability; for the full source see the upstream repo.
[![ci::status]][ci::github] [![docker::pulls]][docker::hub] [![documentation::badge]][documentation::web]
[ci::status]: https://img.shields.io/github/actions/workflow/status/docker-mailserver/docker-mailserver/defaultonpush.yml?branch=master&color=blue&label=CI&logo=github&logoColor=white&style=for-the-badge [ci::github]: https://github.com/docker-mailserver/docker-mailserver/actions [docker::pulls]: https://img.shields.io/docker/pulls/mailserver/docker-mailserver.svg?style=for-the-badge&logo=docker&logoColor=white&color=blue [docker::hub]: https://hub.docker.com/r/mailserver/docker-mailserver/ [documentation::badge]: https://img.shields.io/badge/DOCUMENTATION-GH%20PAGES-0078D4?style=for-the-badge&logo=googledocs&logoColor=white [documentation::web]: https://docker-mailserver.github.io/docker-mailserver/latest/ About
A production-ready fullstack but simple containerized mail server (SMTP, IMAP, LDAP, Anti-spam, Anti-virus, etc.). Only configuration files, no SQL database. Keep it simple and versioned. Easy to deploy and upgrade. Originally created by @tomav, this project is now maintained by volunteers since January 2021. <!-- Adds a thin line break separator style -->
> [!TIP] > Be sure to read [our documentation][documentation::web]. It provides guidance on initial setup of your mail server.
Health score breakdown
6-dimension composite. See methodology for formula and weights.
Adoption signals
Real-world usage data, pulled from each registry. The bigger the numbers, the more battle-tested the project.
| Signal | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | 18k | github.com/docker-mailserver/docker-mailserver |
| GitHub forks | 2.0k | github.com/docker-mailserver/docker-mailserver |
Release & maintenance
Is this project actively maintained, or about to die? Check the recency of last commit and last release.
| Project age | 11.1 years | since Mar 2015 |
| Last commit | 6 days ago | May 1, 2026 |
| Releases shipped | 31 | last: 9 months ago |
| Security policy | SECURITY.md | declared by maintainers |
| Funding links | 1 | declared by maintainers |
Self-hosting cost across providers
Detected requirements: 4GB RAM, 40GB disk minimum. Cheapest plan per provider that meets the requirement.
| Provider | Plan | Specs | Monthly | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| hetzner | CAX11 | 2c · 4GB · 40GB | $4.13 USD | Deploy → |
| vultr | VC2 | 1c · 1GB · 25GB | $5 USD | Deploy → |
| linode | Nanode 1GB | 1c · 1GB · 25GB | $5.12 USD | Deploy → |
| digitalocean | Basic Regular 1GB | 1c · 1GB · 25GB | $6 USD | Deploy → |
What people say on Hacker News
Ready to self-host Docker Mailserver?
Spin up a hetzner CAX11 (4GB RAM, 40GB disk) for $4.13/mo and follow the project's official install docs.
Data last refreshed May 7, 2026.
Similar open-source projects
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