AnswervsStalwart Mail Server
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| Answer | Stalwart Mail Server | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 71/100 | 78/100 |
| Rank in category | #5 of 69 in Social Networks & Forums | #2 of 16 in Mail Server |
| GitHub stars | 15 702 | 15 464 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +20 | +680 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 6 | 31 |
| Latest release | v2.0.3 · 22 Sept 2026 | v1.0.1 · 28 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Easy | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | AGPL-3.0-only AND LicenseRef-SEL |
| Main language | Go | Rust |
Which one should you pick?
Stalwart Mail Server scores 78/100 against 71/100 for Answer, so it is the safer default.
Stalwart Mail Server ships more often: 31 stable releases in the past year, against 6 for Answer.
If you want the quickest setup, Answer is easier to run; Stalwart Mail Server needs more configuration.
Stalwart Mail Server is growing faster right now (+680 stars in 30 days).
Answer details →Stalwart Mail Server details →