# Stalwart Mail Server vs unleash

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

| | Stalwart Mail Server | unleash |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 79/100 ✓ | 75/100 |
| Rank in category | #2 of 16 in Mail Server | #1 of 8 in Feature Flags |
| GitHub stars | 15 470 ✓ | 13 912 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +667 ✓ | +86 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 31 ✓ | 15 |
| Latest release | v1.0.1 · 28 Oct 2026 ✓ | v8.3.0 · 27 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Easy ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | AGPL-3.0-only AND LicenseRef-SEL | AGPL-3.0 |
| Main language | Rust | Typescript |

## Which one should you pick?

Stalwart Mail Server scores 79/100 against 75/100 for unleash, so it is the safer default.

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

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

Stalwart Mail Server is growing faster right now (+667 stars in 30 days).

## Details

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

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