DragonFly

Self-Hosted

Secure, high-performance open-source Mail Transfer Agent

Overview

DragonFly is an open-source Mail Transfer Agent (MTA) engineered for reliability, security, and scalability. It supports SMTP/ESMTP protocols with built-in spam filtering, TLS encryption, and DKIM/DMARC authentication to ensure secure email delivery. Optimized for handling large mail volumes, it’s lightweight yet robust, ideal for small servers and enterprise setups alike. Deployment options include Docker containers, binary installations, or source builds, with customizable config files. It prioritizes privacy by avoiding third-party dependencies and offers logging/monitoring tools to track mail flow and detect anomalies.

Self-Hosting Resources

Find Official Image on Docker Hub View Source & Docs

Below is a reference structure for docker-compose.yml. ⚠️ Do NOT run blindly. Replace placeholders with official values.

docker-compose.template.yml TEMPLATE


version: '3'
services:
  dragonfly_mail_transfer_agent:
    image: <OFFICIAL_IMAGE_NAME>:latest
    container_name: dragonfly-mail-transfer-agent
    ports:
      - "8080:<APP_INTERNAL_PORT>"
    volumes:
      - ./data:/app/data
    restart: unless-stopped

Key Features

Built-in spam filtering and TLS encryption for secure delivery
High-performance architecture for large mail volumes
Flexible deployment via Docker or binary packages

Frequently Asked Questions

? Is DragonFly hard to install?

DragonFly offers Docker deployment for simpler setup, but manual installation requires basic server admin knowledge (e.g., configuring DNS, TLS certificates). The official docs provide step-by-step guides for common environments.

? Is it a good alternative to proprietary MTAs like SendGrid?

Yes—DragonFly is a great alternative for users who prefer self-hosting and privacy. Unlike SendGrid (cloud-based, proprietary), DragonFly lets you control your data, though it lacks SendGrid’s pre-built marketing integrations.

? Is DragonFly completely free?

Absolutely. DragonFly is open-source under the MIT License, so it’s free to use, modify, and distribute without any hidden costs or subscriptions.

Top Alternatives

Microsoft Exchange Server Search Google

SendGrid (Cloud MTA) Search Google

Tool Info

Pricing Open Source

Category Communication - Email - Mail Transfer Agents

Platform Self-Hosted

Pros

⊕ Privacy-focused with no third-party data collection
⊕ Scalable for small to enterprise environments
⊕ Active open-source community support

Cons

⊖ Requires basic server admin skills for setup
⊖ Limited GUI (command-line primary)
⊖ Fewer integrations than mainstream MTAs like Postfix