Alternatives to Dovecot

An open-source IMAP and POP3 server that stores mailboxes and serves them to mail clients. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.

Replacements

Listings that take over the same core job as Dovecot.

  • Cyrus IMAP

    An open-source email, contacts and calendar server with IMAP, JMAP, CalDAV and CardDAV support.

    FreeOpen sourceLinuxSelf-hosted

    Cyrus IMAP also serves mailboxes over IMAP and adds JMAP, CalDAV and CardDAV, though it is more complex to configure.

  • Mox

    An all-in-one open-source mail server for low-maintenance self-hosted email.

    FreeOpen sourceLinuxSelf-hosted

    Mox combines IMAP with SMTP and webmail in one program, removing the need for a separate MTA, but is younger and less widely deployed.

  • Mailu

    A full-featured self-hosted mail server delivered as a set of Docker images.

    FreeOpen sourceLinuxSelf-hosted

    Mailu replaces a hand-built IMAP setup with a complete Docker mail server including webmail, admin interface and antispam.

  • docker-mailserver

    A complete mail server with SMTP, IMAP, antispam and antivirus, packaged as a single container.

    FreeOpen sourceLinuxSelf-hosted

    docker-mailserver packages IMAP, SMTP, antispam and antivirus in a single container, but offers no webmail or graphical admin interface.

Similar software

Related functionality, not a direct replacement.