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If you value privacy and prioritize data control, a self-hosted email server is the best bet for you.
Email is the most popular mode of business communication.
you’re able to install and set up the following email server on acloud serveror your setup.
Modoboa
Modoboais an open-source email server that emphasizes your privacy.
Here, you get some of the best open-source email server installation, configuration, and security tools.
Moreover, it offers various administrator tools like the data migration tool and statistics.
The biggest advantage of using Modoboa is data security and privacy.
SPF, DKIM, and DMARC protocols are some other approaches it uses to protect your online reputation.
Mailu
If you are looking for a feature-rich yet simple-to-use self-hosted email server, go forMailu.
This free software aims to provide users with a server that can be easily set up and maintained.
It does not contain unnecessary features found in many groupware.
The platform lets you use standard email servers and protocols like IMAP, IMAP+, SMTP, and Submission.
Users can easily use aliases, auto-forward, autoreply, and fetched accounts to save time and effort.
Moreover, the platform uses TLS, Letsencrypt!
This production-ready solution comes with only configuration files that keep it simple and versioned.
The server has no SQL database and can be deployed and upgraded readily.
It also supports creating custom rules for SpamAssassin and ClamAV, including automatic updates.
The server uses LetsEncrypt and self-signed certificates to ensure data security.
Your gear should have 1 vCore and 512MB RAM to run this server.
However, you should deactivate services like ClamAV to run on a host containing 512MB of RAM.
This full-featured mail server keeps the user data and configuration segregated from binaries.
The admin can allocate different rights to the system admins, domain admins, and email owners.
It is also possible to assign a quota for email count and mailbox storage.
Its built-in spam filter and antivirus engine detect viruses, malware, and trojans to keep your mailbox safe.
Its other noteworthy features are email redirection, autoreply, email filtering, and data encryption.
Furthermore, it comes with a built-in autodiscovery compatible with Microsoft 365 and Thunderbird.
iRedMail
Those interested in building an email server with open-source solutions should opt foriRedMail.
Using this platform, you’re free to turn into your own mail service provider.
If you consider the technical aspect, this platform converts a cloud computer into a functional mail server.
However, you do not have to be a tech-savvy person to set this up.
This platform offers webmail and an IMAP/SMTP server that users can access using the desktop tool and mobile devices.
Apart from these, it’s possible for you to also sync contacts and calendars into it.
Its web-based control panel lets you add email accounts, aliases, and custom DNS records.
hMailServer
Microsoft Windows users should choosehMailServerfor a free self-hosted email server.
Any IMAP and SMTP-supported webmail system can be used with hMailServer.
The installation and configuration of hMailServer are seamless and quick.
The COM library of this platform supports integration with other software, such as your existing IT systems.
Its pre-configured security tools verify that your server is never used for sending spam messages.
Apache James
Apache Jamesis an open-source mail transfer agent with support for SMTP and POP3.
James is the acronym for Java Apache Mail Enterprise Server.
It consists of a modular architecture full of robust and modern components.
It uses MySQL, HSQLDB, Cassandra, and PostgreSQL for storage implementation.
Some of its other features are Mailbox API, extendable email processing agents, command-line admin, etc.
Dovecot
Dovecotis a secure IMAP server that you could use for small and large installations.
It is considered one of the top-performing IMAP servers that support standard MBOX and Maildir file formats.
The server indexes the mailboxes with full transparency and offers compatibility with present mailbox management tools.
The self-optimizing indexes contain exactly what the clients need.
Dovecot comes with flexible user authentication modes that accept various authentication databases and mechanisms.
Also, it lets you migrate email data from different IMAP and POP3 servers.
The security-focused design and implementation of this platform mean you do not have to worry about your data privacy.
Being an admin-friendly server, it generates easily understandable error messages.
Its current features can be extended further using plugins.
If the server crashes because of any reason, it fixes the reason behind it.
While using this email server, users can modify the mailboxes and indexes simultaneously from different devices.
It is possible because Dovecot performs well with clustered filesystems.
This server is completely scalable, prioritizes Unicode, and controlled by API.
By combining it with Haraka and ZoneMTA, users can create a complete mail server.
A MongoDB cluster is used instead of a file system to store any email data.
Moreover, you get the freedom to set up as large a cluster as you want to.
A memory-safe language is used to write this email server.
Also, you do not have to provide any root privileges or access to the file system.
Its simple user interface lets you quickly search and check emails sent using your applications.
Setting up this email server is easy, and it has a responsive web-based interface.
you could run MailSlurper on Windows, OSX, and Linux.
There is no more being a victim of third-party snooping and sharing of your personal information with the advertisers.
Also, you’re free to send unlimited emails from these servers.
Moreover, you could enjoy 100% control over your mailboxes and their configs.
It gives you the option to set policies and customize tweaks that suit your organizational requirements.
Before you move to it from a traditional email client, you should check:
Whats next?
And, if you love DIY, I would also recommend checking outself-hosted email marketing platforms.
