mailcow
mailcow: A Dockerized mail stack for teams that want control over their own email infrastructure. Ranked #27 of 178 in Email Hosting by our editors (6.6/10); pricing: Free plan; best for technical teams wanting a Dockerized mail stack.
At a glance
- Editor score6.6 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forTechnical teams wanting a Dockerized mail stack
- Free planYes
- Paid fromFree
- Facts checked23 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Dockerized suite combines mail, webmail, calendars, contacts, and administration
- Includes Rspamd, ClamAV, DKIM, ARC, and multi-method two-factor authentication
- Migration tools and configurable mailbox and attachment limits support custom deployments
Where it doesn't
- Requires user-operated infrastructure rather than a hosted mailbox service
- Administration spans multiple interconnected mail and groupware components
- No conventional per-user subscription tiers for organizations seeking managed hosting
Our verdict on mailcow
mailcow is an open-source email and groupware suite packaged for Docker and deployed on infrastructure operated by the user. It is aimed at individuals, small businesses, and organizations that want to manage domains, mailboxes, delivery, retrieval, webmail, calendars, contacts, and security controls in one self-hosted stack. The web administration interface covers domains and mailboxes, while IMAP and POP access are provided through Dovecot. Native mobile apps are also included in the category specification, alongside integrated SOGo webmail with CalDAV and CardDAV.
Its ecosystem is a central part of the product. mailcow brings together Docker, Postfix, Dovecot, SOGo, Rspamd, ClamAV, MariaDB, CalDAV, and CardDAV rather than presenting email as an isolated mailbox component. That combination supports webmail, groupware, spam filtering, antivirus scanning, calendars, and contacts within the same deployment. DKIM and ARC support, mailbox aliases, temporary spam aliases, and migration tools extend the administrative scope. Technical teams should expect to work with a coordinated stack of services, while organizations seeking a simple hosted inbox may prefer a managed provider.
Control is another defining strength. Administrators can configure maximum message and attachment sizes, manage mailbox quotas and aliases, enable TOTP, YubiKey OTP, or WebAuthn authentication, and use tools for mailbox and server migration. The open-source, self-hosted model suits teams prepared to operate their own email infrastructure and tune the deployment around their requirements. It is less suitable for buyers who want a conventional hosted mailbox subscription with provider-managed infrastructure and a straightforward per-user plan. Choose mailcow for deployment control, groupware coverage, and configurable administration; choose an alternative when operational simplicity is the priority.
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mailcow pricing
mailcow fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Free |
| Storage per mailbox | Not verified |
| Email aliases | Not verified |
| Attachment limit | Not verified |
| IMAP/POP support | Yes |
| Mobile app access | Third_party |
| Calendar included | Yes |
| Migration tools | Yes |
| Deployment | Self-hosted, Cloud |
| Platforms | Web, Linux |
| Compliance & security | 2FA |
| Support | Community, Docs, Email |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 5 integrations: SOGo, Dovecot, Postfix, Rspamd, ClamAV |
| Pricing | Free plan |
| Website | mailcow.email |
| Facts checked | 23 Sep 2026 |
mailcow integrations
mailcow lists 5 integrations on its own site.
- SOGo
- Dovecot
- Postfix
- Rspamd
- ClamAV
Alternatives to mailcow
- Zoho MailA flexible business email suite with a free plan, low-cost entry tier, and migration support.9.4
- Microsoft Exchange OnlineA deep Exchange service for organizations centered on Outlook and administration.9.2
- Google WorkspaceA full Gmail-based collaboration suite for organizations that need more than email.9.1
See all mailcow alternatives →
Also Ranked In
mailcow is ranked in 3 of our directories.
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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