# docker-smtp vs Postal

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

| | docker-smtp | Postal |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 38/100 | 72/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #88 of 106 in Email | #3 of 16 in Mail Server |
| GitHub stars | 145 | 16 898 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | — | +74 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 0 | 3 ✓ |
| Latest release | — | 3.3.7 · 3 Jun 2026 |
| Setup | Easy ✓ | Advanced |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | — | MIT |
| Main language | Shell | Ruby |

## Which one should you pick?

Postal scores 72/100 against 38/100 for docker-smtp, so it is the safer default.

Postal ships more often: 3 stable releases in the past year, against 0 for docker-smtp.

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

Postal is growing faster right now (+74 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [docker-smtp](https://selfhost.directory/project/docker-smtp) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/docker-smtp.md)
- [Postal](https://selfhost.directory/project/postal) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/postal.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/docker-smtp-vs-postal