# EMQX vs Stalwart Mail Server

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

| | EMQX | Stalwart Mail Server |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 78/100 | 78/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 14 in Messaging | #2 of 16 in Mail Server |
| GitHub stars | 16 868 ✓ | 15 464 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +114 | +680 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 15 | 31 ✓ |
| Latest release | 6.3.2 · 16 Oct 2026 | v1.0.1 · 28 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Other | AGPL-3.0-only AND LicenseRef-SEL |
| Main language | Erlang | Rust |

## Which one should you pick?

EMQX and Stalwart Mail Server score the same (78/100), so the choice comes down to the details below.

Stalwart Mail Server ships more often: 31 stable releases in the past year, against 15 for EMQX.

If you want the quickest setup, Stalwart Mail Server is easier to run; EMQX needs more configuration.

Stalwart Mail Server is growing faster right now (+680 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [EMQX](https://selfhost.directory/project/emqx) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/emqx.md)
- [Stalwart Mail Server](https://selfhost.directory/project/stalwart-mail-server) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/stalwart-mail-server.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/emqx-vs-stalwart-mail-server