Mailcowvsrefref
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| Mailcow | refref | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 77/100 | 44/100 |
| Rank in category | #2 of 106 in Email | #11 of 12 in Marketing Automation |
| GitHub stars | 13 713 | 239 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +215 | — |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 16 | 0 |
| Latest release | 2026-10 · 21 Oct 2026 | — |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | No | No |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Main language | JavaScript | Typescript |
Which one should you pick?
Mailcow scores 77/100 against 44/100 for refref, so it is the safer default.
Mailcow ships more often: 16 stable releases in the past year, against 0 for refref.
If you want the quickest setup, refref is easier to run; Mailcow needs more configuration.
Mailcow is growing faster right now (+215 stars in 30 days).
Mailcow details →refref details →
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