MailcowvsStalwart Mail Server
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| Mailcow | Stalwart Mail Server | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 77/100 | 78/100 |
| Rank in category | #2 of 106 in Email | #2 of 16 in Mail Server |
| GitHub stars | 13 713 | 15 458 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +215 | +674 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 16 | 30 |
| Latest release | 2026-10 · 21 Oct 2026 | v1.0.0 · 26 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | No | Yes |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0-only AND LicenseRef-SEL |
| Main language | JavaScript | Rust |
Which one should you pick?
Stalwart Mail Server scores 78/100 against 77/100 for Mailcow, so it is the safer default.
Stalwart Mail Server ships more often: 30 stable releases in the past year, against 16 for Mailcow.
If you want the quickest setup, Stalwart Mail Server is easier to run; Mailcow needs more configuration.
Stalwart Mail Server is growing faster right now (+674 stars in 30 days).
Mailcow details →Stalwart Mail Server details →
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