mailcow alternative
Host mailcow yourself or have the mailbox run for you?
mailcow is an open source email and groupware suite on Docker that you run yourself. Conbool Mail takes operation off your hands and bills per mailbox.
- Operation
- By Conbool instead of on your own
- Billing
- Fixed price per mailbox
- Price
- From €1.29 per mailbox per month, net
Conbool Mail and mailcow compared.
| Feature | Conbool Mail | mailcow |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Mailbox service run by Conbool, or operation in your own data centre | Open source email and groupware software on Docker |
| Licence | Per mailbox in three plans | GNU General Public License, version 3 |
| Calendar and contacts | Webmail, ActiveSync, CalDAV and CardDAV | Through SOGo: webmail, CalDAV, CardDAV and ActiveSync |
| Who operates | Conbool in Germany or you in your own data centre | You, or alternatively a managed mailcow at Servercow |
| Support | By Conbool as contracting party | Community without guarantee, commercial support through Servercow |
| Price | From €1.29 per mailbox per month, net | Software without licence fees, server and operation at your own expense |
Details on mailcow according to the provider's public information, as of October 2026. Plans change, the provider's own information is authoritative. All names mentioned are trademarks of their owners.
mailcow fits when
- you want to run the mail server yourself and have the know-how in-house.
- open source and full control over the configuration matter more than handing off operation.
- you take care of updates, backup and monitoring yourself.
Conbool Mail fits when
- you do not want to run the mailboxes yourself.
- you want a fixed price per mailbox, operation included.
- you want to add spam protection, encryption, signatures and archive in the same portal.
Switching from mailcow to Conbool Mail.
Mailboxes move via IMAP, one by one or as a list from a CSV file. Messages and folders are copied, the addresses stay the same.
Questions about the mailcow alternative
What speaks for mailcow, what for a managed service?
mailcow gives you full control and costs no licence. In return, operation, updates and backup are your job. A managed service costs per mailbox and takes those tasks off your hands.
Is Conbool Mail open source?
Conbool Mail is a service from Conbool. It builds on open protocols and open source components, whose licences and source code are listed in webmail under Licences.
What does Conbool Mail cost compared with mailcow?
Conbool Mail costs €1.29 for Kiosk, €2.99 for Plan 1 and €5.49 for Plan 2 per mailbox per month, net. mailcow prices are listed in the provider's price list.
How do mailboxes move from mailcow?
Through the migration in the portal via IMAP, one by one or as a list from a CSV file. It runs in the background.
Go through the switch with your mailboxes.
We show you Conbool Mail and plan the migration with you.