Zoho Mail

Best Self Hosted Alternatives to Zoho Mail

A curated collection of the 6 best self hosted alternatives to Zoho Mail.

Zoho Mail is a secure, ad-free email hosting service for businesses and professionals, offering custom domain mailboxes, web and mobile clients, integrated calendar, contacts, tasks, collaboration tools, and admin controls for team management and email security.

Alternatives List

#1
Mailu

Mailu

Mailu is an all-in-one email server stack (SMTP/IMAP/webmail) packaged for Docker, with anti-spam/AV, DKIM/DMARC support, and a web admin interface for domains and mailboxes.

Mailu screenshot

Mailu is a full mail server stack distributed as a set of Docker containers, providing SMTP and IMAP services plus webmail and administration. It aims to make running a secure, standards-compliant email server easier by bundling the common components and exposing a web UI for daily management.

Key Features

  • Complete mail stack in containers: SMTP (Postfix), IMAP (Dovecot), and web front-end services
  • Web administration interface to manage domains, users/mailboxes, aliases, and credentials
  • Built-in anti-spam and content filtering using Rspamd (with milter integration)
  • Optional antivirus scanning via ClamAV
  • Email authentication support (e.g., DKIM signing via OpenDKIM; DMARC-related configuration documented)
  • Webmail via Roundcube (optional) and support for additional services depending on deployment profile
  • Multiple deployment options and profiles (e.g., docker-compose; behind reverse proxies such as Traefik)

Use Cases

  • Self-managed email hosting for a personal domain (mailboxes and aliases)
  • Small organization mail service with web-based administration and spam/virus filtering
  • Lab/home server mail stack for learning and testing SMTP/IMAP, DKIM, and anti-spam configuration

Limitations and Considerations

  • Operating a deliverable email service requires correct DNS configuration (MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and ongoing reputation/anti-abuse management
  • Some features depend on optional containers/services (e.g., webmail, antivirus), increasing resource usage and operational complexity

Mailu provides an integrated, container-first approach to email hosting that combines the core MTAs/IMAP server with a management UI and anti-spam/AV components. It is a practical choice when you want a cohesive, well-known mail stack with minimal manual wiring between services.

7kstars
957forks
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#2
Dolibarr

Dolibarr

Dolibarr is a modular ERP/CRM for SMBs to manage sales, invoicing, inventory, projects, accounting, and more via a web interface with optional modules.

Dolibarr screenshot

Dolibarr is a modular web-based ERP and CRM designed for small and medium-sized businesses, freelancers, and associations. It provides core business management features (sales, invoicing, products, accounting, projects, etc.) and can be extended via optional modules.

Key Features

  • ERP + CRM in one application: leads/opportunities, customers, proposals/quotes, sales orders, and invoices
  • Product and service catalog with stock/inventory management and warehouses
  • Finance features including bank/cash management and expense tracking; accounting features available via modules
  • Project and task management with time tracking and simple collaboration features
  • Document generation (PDFs) for quotes/invoices and email sending from within the app
  • Modular architecture: enable only needed features; additional modules available from the ecosystem/marketplace
  • Multi-company (multi-entity) capability available via module, plus multi-currency and multi-language support
  • User/role permissions and auditability-oriented controls suitable for business workflows

Use Cases

  • Run a small business back office: CRM → quote → order → invoice → payment tracking
  • Manage products/services and stock across one or more warehouses while invoicing customers
  • Track projects, tasks, and time spent for service delivery and billable work

Limitations and Considerations

  • Depth and compliance-grade accounting features depend on configuration and optional modules; suitability varies by country
  • The large module ecosystem can require careful selection and administration to avoid feature overlap

Dolibarr is a strong fit when you want a single, lightweight web ERP/CRM that can be expanded gradually. Its modular approach makes it practical for organizations that prefer to start simple and add capabilities as processes mature.

6.8kstars
3.2kforks
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#3
Roundcube

Roundcube

Self-hosted webmail client for IMAP accounts with address book, message search, identities, and an extensible plugin/skin system.

Roundcube screenshot

Roundcube is a browser-based IMAP email client designed to provide a full-featured webmail experience on top of existing mail servers (IMAP/SMTP). It focuses on a clean UI, standards-based email handling, and extensibility via plugins and skins.

Key Features

  • IMAP webmail UI with message list, conversation-style viewing, and folder management
  • SMTP sending with support for multiple sender identities and per-identity settings
  • Address book with groups and LDAP integration via plugins (commonly deployed)
  • Powerful search and message filtering capabilities (server-dependent; supports standard IMAP search)
  • MIME and HTML email rendering with attachment handling
  • Sieve / ManageSieve integration via plugin for server-side mail filtering rules
  • Extensible architecture: plugin API, skinning system, localization, and theming
  • PGP support available through plugins (e.g., Enigma/PGP-related plugin ecosystems depending on deployment)

Use Cases

  • Provide webmail access for a Postfix/Dovecot-based email domain without outsourcing to hosted webmail
  • Offer a lightweight, user-friendly mailbox interface for small organizations, ISPs, and homelabs
  • Add server-side filtering (Sieve) management to an existing IMAP service via plugins

Limitations and Considerations

  • Not a full groupware suite by default; calendars/contacts sync and advanced collaboration typically require plugins and/or external services
  • Feature depth depends on IMAP server capabilities and installed plugins (e.g., Sieve, LDAP)

Roundcube is a mature, widely deployed webmail client that integrates with standard mail server stacks. Its plugin and theming ecosystem makes it adaptable for many email hosting scenarios while keeping the core focused on webmail.

6.7kstars
1.7kforks
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#4
Mox

Mox

All-in-one SMTP/IMAP mail server with web admin, spam filtering, DKIM/DMARC, and automatic TLS via ACME—designed for simpler, safer email hosting.

Mox screenshot

Mox is an all-in-one email server focused on being easier to run and safer by default than traditional “glue-it-together” mail stacks. It provides SMTP submission/receiving and IMAP access, a built-in admin web interface, and sensible defaults for modern email authentication and deliverability.

Key Features

  • Integrated SMTP server (incoming + submission) and IMAP server
  • Built-in admin web UI for managing domains, accounts, and operational settings
  • Automatic TLS certificate provisioning via ACME
  • Modern email authentication and policy support (DKIM signing, SPF/DMARC evaluation)
  • Spam filtering controls (including common DNSBL-style checks) and delivery safeguards
  • Mailbox storage and indexing handled by Mox (no external IMAP/SMTP components required)
  • Operational tooling for diagnostics/logging and safer configuration changes

Use Cases

  • Host email for a personal domain or small organization with a single, cohesive server
  • Replace a multi-component Postfix/Dovecot stack with an integrated setup
  • Run a mail server with modern authentication defaults for better deliverability

Limitations and Considerations

  • Not a full groupware suite (no calendars/contacts as a primary feature)
  • Self-hosted email deliverability depends on correct DNS and IP reputation

Mox aims to reduce complexity by shipping a cohesive mail server with an admin UI and modern defaults. It’s best suited for operators who want a straightforward, integrated email stack while retaining control over their domains and accounts.

5.3kstars
176forks
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#5
SnappyMail

SnappyMail

Fast, privacy-friendly webmail client with IMAP/SMTP, Sieve filters, PGP support, and a responsive UI. A community-driven continuation of RainLoop.

SnappyMail screenshot

SnappyMail is a self-hosted webmail client designed to provide a fast, modern email interface for existing mail servers via IMAP and SMTP. It is a community-driven continuation/fork of RainLoop, focusing on performance, security improvements, and compatibility with common mail setups.

Key Features

  • IMAP mail access and SMTP sending (works with most existing mail providers/servers)
  • Responsive, single-page web UI with keyboard shortcuts and conversation/thread view
  • Sieve filtering support (manage server-side mail filtering rules where supported)
  • PGP/GPG message encryption and signing support (via OpenPGP integration)
  • Multiple accounts/identities and folder management
  • Attachment handling, message search, and rich message viewing
  • Admin panel for domain/account configuration and application settings
  • Plugin/extension mechanism (feature set depends on enabled plugins)

Use Cases

  • Provide a modern webmail UI for Postfix/Dovecot (or any IMAP/SMTP) mailboxes
  • Offer browser-based email access for small teams without adopting a full groupware suite
  • Replace hosted webmail UIs while keeping the existing mail server stack

Limitations and Considerations

  • Not a mail server: requires external IMAP/SMTP services to function
  • Some advanced capabilities depend on server support (e.g., Sieve availability)

SnappyMail is a good fit when you want a modern, performant webmail experience while retaining your current mail infrastructure. It targets practical administration and end-user usability without the operational overhead of a full email/groupware platform.

1.5kstars
174forks
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#6
Dovecot

Dovecot

Dovecot is an IMAP/POP3 mail server focused on performance, security, and standards compliance, commonly used for mailbox access in Postfix/Exim-based email stacks.

Dovecot screenshot

Dovecot is a high-performance IMAP and POP3 server used to provide mailbox access for email users and clients. It is widely deployed with MTAs such as Postfix or Exim and supports common mailbox formats and authentication backends.

Key Features

  • IMAP4rev1 and POP3 server with TLS/SSL support
  • High-performance mailbox index/cache architecture for fast access
  • Supports Maildir and mbox (and can integrate with other storage via plugins)
  • Authentication framework with multiple backends (e.g., PAM, LDAP, SQL) and pluggable mechanisms
  • SASL integration commonly used by Postfix for SMTP authentication
  • Quota and ACL support (IMAP ACL) for shared mailboxes and access control
  • Sieve mail filtering via Pigeonhole (separate but commonly paired component)
  • Replication and high-availability options (dsync-based replication)

Use Cases

  • Provide IMAP/POP3 access for a self-managed email domain (paired with Postfix/Exim)
  • Centralized authentication for mail services (LDAP/SQL/PAM) with per-user mail storage
  • Shared mailboxes and delegated access scenarios (teams/support mailboxes)

Limitations and Considerations

  • Not a full email stack by itself: you typically pair it with an MTA (e.g., Postfix) and optional anti-spam/AV components
  • Some advanced functionality (e.g., Sieve filtering) is delivered via companion projects/plugins (not strictly in the core daemon)

Dovecot is a mature, widely used mailbox-access server emphasizing speed, interoperability, and flexible authentication/storage integrations. It fits well in production mail setups where IMAP/POP3 reliability and performance are critical components.

1.2kstars
322forks
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Why choose an open source alternative?

  • •Data ownership: Keep your data on your own servers
  • •No vendor lock-in: Freedom to switch or modify at any time
  • •Cost savings: Reduce or eliminate subscription fees
  • •Transparency: Audit the code and know exactly what's running