Mail-in-a-Box
Turns fresh Ubuntu into a mail server for individuals managing their own email
Alternative to: Alternatives to Gmail
Mail-in-a-Box turns a fresh 64-bit Ubuntu 22.04 LTS machine into a working personal mail server. It provides SMTP and IMAP, Roundcube webmail, mail filtering, client autoconfiguration, CardDAV and CalDAV through Nextcloud, and Exchange ActiveSync through z-push. It also supplies spam filtering and greylisting, automatic DNS policy records such as SPF, DKIM, DMARC, DNSSEC, DANE TLSA, and MTA-STS, plus Let's Encrypt certificates for HTTPS and the box's other services. Backups, firewall rules, intrusion protection, basic system monitoring, daily health checks, a control panel, and an API are included. The server can also host static websites.
It is intended for individuals who want to control their own email and are prepared to start with a completely fresh supported Ubuntu machine. Installation uses the project's shell script after cloning the repository and checking out a release tag. The appliance favors a one-click approach rather than user-configurable setup choices.
It can replace iRedMail for someone seeking a similar self-hosted mail server project. However, SMTPUTF8 is not supported, although internationalized domain names are.
Key features
- SMTP and IMAP servers
- Roundcube webmail and mail filtering
- CardDAV, CalDAV, and Exchange ActiveSync
- Spam filtering and greylisting
- Automatic email authentication and DNS policy records
- Automatic Let's Encrypt certificates
- Backups, firewall, intrusion protection, and monitoring
- Control panel with API access
vs iRedMail
Mail-in-a-Box and iRedMail are similar self-hosted mail server projects. The provided materials do not support a feature-by-feature comparison, so no further parity claims can be made. Mail-in-a-Box fits individuals who want to run email on a fresh Ubuntu 22.04 LTS 64-bit machine. It is not a documented fit for anyone requiring another operating system or Docker Compose support, since those options are not established in the materials.