# Stalwart Mail Server vs Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP)

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

| | Stalwart Mail Server | Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP) |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 78/100 | 80/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #2 of 16 in Mail Server | #4 of 78 in Security |
| GitHub stars | 15 462 | 16 060 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +678 ✓ | +245 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 31 | 31 |
| Latest release | v1.0.1 · 28 Oct 2026 ✓ | w2026-10-23 · 23 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Easy ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | AGPL-3.0-only AND LicenseRef-SEL | Apache-2.0 |
| Main language | Rust | Java |

## Which one should you pick?

Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP) scores 80/100 against 78/100 for Stalwart Mail Server, so it is the safer default.

If you want the quickest setup, Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP) is easier to run; Stalwart Mail Server needs more configuration.

Stalwart Mail Server is growing faster right now (+678 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [Stalwart Mail Server](https://selfhost.directory/project/stalwart-mail-server) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/stalwart-mail-server.md)
- [Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP)](https://selfhost.directory/project/zed-attack-proxy-zap) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/zed-attack-proxy-zap.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/stalwart-mail-server-vs-zed-attack-proxy-zap