Best Self-Hosted Gmail Alternatives in 2026
Gmail is Google's email service with smart inbox categories, powerful search, and integration with Google Workspace. Free tier available; paid plans start at $8.4/user/mo.
30 Self-Hosted Alternatives to Gmail
Mailspring
17KMailspring: The open-source, extensible email app for Mac, Linux, and Windows with open tracking, link click tracking, contacts enrichment data and more
Postal
16KA fully featured open source mail delivery platform for incoming & outgoing e-mail
Mail-in-a-Box
15KTake back control of your email with this easy-to-deploy mail server in a box
Mailcow
12KMailcow is a self-hosted email servers replacement for Gmail and Microsoft Outlook.
Stalwart Mail Server
12KStalwart Mail Server is a Rust-based application that provides all-in-one mail server with JMAP, IMAP4, and SMTP support and a wide range of modern features.
Zero
10KFor privacy & encryption, Zero is a self-hosted solution that provides email application.
Tuta
7.4KTuta is a self-hosted privacy & encryption tool with support for privacy, security, email.
Mailu
7.1KFor email servers, Mailu is a self-hosted solution that provides simple yet full-featured mail server as a set of Docker images.
Roundcube
6.9KRoundcube is a self-hosted email servers replacement for Gmail and Microsoft Outlook.
SimpleLogin
6.5KSimpleLogin handles email alias solution to protect your email address. Comes with browser extensions and mobile apps as a self-hosted solution.
Mox
5.6KMox is a Go-based application that provides complete e-mail solution.
AnonAddy
4.5KAnonAddy is a PHP-based application that provides email forwarding service for creating aliases.
AliasVault
2.3KAliasVault is a self-hosted email servers tool that provides end-to-end encrypted password manager with a built-in email alias generator and server.
Notifuse
1.9KSelf-hosted email servers tool that provides email platform for newsletters and transactional emails. alternative to Mailchimp.
Open Archiver
1.8KOpen Archiver lets you run email archiving solution with full-text search and eDiscovery search features entirely on your own server.
Gmail Cleaner
1.8KGmail Cleaner is a self-hosted email servers tool that provides web-based GUI for cleaning Gmail inboxes.
mail-archiver
1.7KMail-archiver is a C#-based application that provides web application for archiving.
UnInbox
1.7KFor email servers, UnInbox is a self-hosted solution that provides streamline team communication.
SnappyMail
1.6KSnappyMail lets you run simple, modern, lightweight & fast web-based email client entirely on your own server.
Bichon
1.5KBichon lets you run lightweight e-mail archiver entirely on your own server.
Cypht
1.5KReleased under LGPL-2.1, Cypht provides feed reader for your email accounts on self-hosted infrastructure.
Dovecot
1.2KFor email servers, Dovecot is a self-hosted solution that provides IMAP and POP3 server written primarily with security in mind.
Nextcloud Mail
963Nextcloud Mail handles email application for Nextcloud as a self-hosted solution.
Nortix Mail
704For email servers, Nortix Mail is a self-hosted solution that provides disposable e-mail server with an easy configuration.
Twake Mail
593Self-hosted email servers tool that provides professional email solution.
Hyvor Relay
549Hyvor Relay is a self-hosted email servers tool that provides email API alternative to AWS SES & Mailgun. AGPL-3.0.
Eonvelope
198Released under AGPL-3.0, Eonvelope provides email archiving software on self-hosted infrastructure.
Geoposler
33Self-hosted email servers tool that provides e-mail campaign management application.
Galae
5Galae offers high deliverability, unlimited addresses and domains, advanced configuration as a self-hosted communication & messaging.
Dovel
Dovel lets you run simple and easy-to-use mail server entirely on your own server.
Why Look for Gmail Alternatives?
Gmail is Google’s email service with smart inbox categories, powerful search, and integration with Google Workspace. Free tier available; paid plans start at $8.4/user/mo.
Self-hosted alternatives give you full data ownership, predictable costs, and zero vendor lock-in. You run the software on your own infrastructure and control everything.
30 Best Open-Source Alternatives to Gmail
Zero
An open source email application that combines AI capabilities with robust privacy features to help manage and organize your inbox efficiently. — 10,487 GitHub stars. Licensed under MIT.
Tuta
Tuta offers encrypted email, calendar and contacts with quantum-resistant security, protecting your privacy without ads or tracking. — 7,373 GitHub stars. Licensed under GPL-3.0.
UnInbox
Streamline team communication with shared inboxes, unlimited email addresses, and customizable workflows. Perfect for modern businesses seeking organized email management. — 1,713 GitHub stars. Licensed under Open Source.
Twake Mail
Open source professional email solution with PGP encryption, JMAP protocol, AI-powered responses, and advanced antispam protection. Control your data privately. — 593 GitHub stars. Licensed under AGPL-3.0.
Mailspring
Boost productivity with Mailspring, the best mail client for Mac, Linux, and Windows. — 17,303 GitHub stars. Licensed under GPL-3.0.
Postal
Fully featured mail delivery platform. — 16,398 GitHub stars. Licensed under MIT.
Mail-in-a-Box
One-click mail service hosting — 15,227 GitHub stars. Licensed under CC0-1.0.
Read full Mail-in-a-Box review
Mailcow
The mailserver suite with the ‘moo’ — 12,357 GitHub stars. Licensed under GPL-3.0.
Stalwart Mail Server
Mail and collaboration server suite — 11,935 GitHub stars. Licensed under AGPL-3.0.
Read full Stalwart Mail Server review
Mailu
Docker-based simple mail server — 7,107 GitHub stars. Licensed under MIT.
Roundcube
Webmail software for the masses — 6,847 GitHub stars. Licensed under GPL-3.0.
SimpleLogin
Send and receive e-mails anonymously — 6,520 GitHub stars. Licensed under MIT.
Mox
Low-maintenance self-hosted e-mail — 5,571 GitHub stars. Licensed under MIT.
AnonAddy
Anonymous e-mail forwarding — 4,502 GitHub stars. Licensed under MIT.
AliasVault
Encrypted password and e-mail alias manager — 2,267 GitHub stars. Licensed under MIT.
Notifuse
Platform for sending newsletters and transactional mail — 1,884 GitHub stars. Licensed under Custom.
Open Archiver
Archive, store, and index email from major platforms — 1,809 GitHub stars. Licensed under AGPL-3.0.
Read full Open Archiver review
Gmail Cleaner
Web-based GUI for cleaning Gmail inboxes — 1,783 GitHub stars. Licensed under MIT.
Read full Gmail Cleaner review
mail-archiver
Archive, search, and export e-mails from multiple accounts — 1,731 GitHub stars. Licensed under GPL-3.0.
Read full mail-archiver review
SnappyMail
Simple, modern, and fast web-based mail client — 1,550 GitHub stars. Licensed under AGPL-3.0.
Bichon
Lightweight e-mail archiver — 1,484 GitHub stars. Licensed under AGPL-3.0.
Cypht
Lightweight webmail aggregator — 1,448 GitHub stars. Licensed under LGPL-2.1.
Dovecot
Secure IMAP mail server — 1,185 GitHub stars. Licensed under MIT/LGPL-2.1.
Nextcloud Mail
Email application for Nextcloud — 958 GitHub stars. Licensed under AGPL-3.0.
Read full Nextcloud Mail review
Nortix Mail
Disposable e-mail server with an easy configuration — 706 GitHub stars. Licensed under Custom.
Hyvor Relay
E-mail API for developers — 545 GitHub stars. Licensed under AGPL-3.0.
Eonvelope
Self-hostable e-mail archive — 164 GitHub stars. Licensed under AGPL-3.0.
Geoposler
E-mail campaign management application — 33 GitHub stars. Licensed under MIT.
Galae
Open-source email service with high deliverability, unlimited addresses, and advanced privacy controls. — 5 GitHub stars. Licensed under GPL-3.0.
Dovel
Simple and easy-to-use mail server. Licensed under BSD-3-Clause.
Why Self-Host Instead of Gmail?
- Data ownership. Your data stays on your server, not on Gmail’s infrastructure.
- Predictable costs. Pay a fixed VPS cost instead of growing per-user or per-usage fees.
- No vendor lock-in. Export and migrate your data anytime. You control the database.
- GDPR and compliance. Hosting your own tools simplifies data residency and compliance requirements.
How much can you save?
Gmail (Google Workspace Business Starter)
$84/mo
10 users x $8.40/user
$1,008/year
Mailspring (self-hosted)
$10/mo
VPS hosting only. $0 per-user fees.
$320 year 1 (incl. $200 setup)
Your annual savings
$688
Year 1 (after setup cost). Year 2+: $888/year (88% less).
That's $74 saved every month.
Mailspring runs on a $10/mo VPS with unlimited users. Setup by upready.dev starts at $200 (one-time). Gmail pricing as of March 2026.
Why teams switch from Gmail
- → Data ownership. Your data stays on your server -- not on Gmail's infrastructure.
- → Predictable costs. Pay a fixed VPS cost instead of growing per-user or per-usage fees.
- → No vendor lock-in. Export and migrate your data anytime. You control the database.
- → GDPR and compliance. Hosting your own tools simplifies data residency and compliance requirements.
Head-to-Head Comparisons
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