# docker-mailserver vs Shields

> Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.

| | docker-mailserver | Shields |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 80/100 | 80/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 16 in Mail Server | #6 of 166 in Developer Tools |
| GitHub stars | 19 704 | 27 331 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +830 ✓ | +125 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 2 ✓ | 0 |
| Latest release | v16.0.1 · 4 Sept 2026 | — |
| Setup | Advanced | Easy ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Main language | Shell | JavaScript |

## Which one should you pick?

docker-mailserver and Shields score the same (80/100), so the choice comes down to the details below.

docker-mailserver ships more often: 2 stable releases in the past year, against 0 for Shields.

If you want the quickest setup, Shields is easier to run; docker-mailserver needs more configuration.

docker-mailserver is growing faster right now (+830 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [docker-mailserver](https://selfhost.directory/project/docker-mailserver) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/docker-mailserver.md)
- [Shields](https://selfhost.directory/project/shields) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/shields.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/docker-mailserver-vs-shields