# Request Tracker vs Stalwart Mail Server

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

| | Request Tracker | Stalwart Mail Server |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 65/100 | 79/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #3 of 9 in Helpdesk | #2 of 16 in Mail Server |
| GitHub stars | 1 164 | 15 484 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +5 | +681 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 2 | 31 ✓ |
| Latest release | rt-5.0.10 · 1 Jun 2026 | v1.0.1 · 28 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate ✓ |
| Official Docker image | No | Yes ✓ |
| License | GPL-2.0 | AGPL-3.0-only AND LicenseRef-SEL |
| Main language | Perl | Rust |

## Which one should you pick?

Stalwart Mail Server scores 79/100 against 65/100 for Request Tracker, so it is the safer default.

Stalwart Mail Server ships more often: 31 stable releases in the past year, against 2 for Request Tracker.

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

Stalwart Mail Server is growing faster right now (+681 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [Request Tracker](https://selfhost.directory/project/request-tracker) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/request-tracker.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/request-tracker-vs-stalwart-mail-server