Postal

Self-Hosted

Open-source self-hosted mail delivery platform for transactional & bulk emails

Overview

Postal is an open-source, self-hosted mail delivery platform designed to handle transactional (e.g., receipts, welcome emails) and bulk email sending. It gives full control over your email infrastructure, eliminating reliance on third-party services like SendGrid or Mailchimp. Features include a user-friendly dashboard for tracking deliveries, bounces, complaints, and open rates; SMTP/REST API integration for app connectivity; and multi-domain support. Deployable via Docker (recommended) or traditional servers, it scales for businesses of all sizes, letting you manage IP reputation and retain privacy over sensitive email data.

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:
  postal:
    image: <OFFICIAL_IMAGE_NAME>:latest
    container_name: postal
    ports:
      - "8080:<APP_INTERNAL_PORT>"
    volumes:
      - ./data:/app/data
    restart: unless-stopped

Key Features

SMTP & REST API integration for seamless app connectivity
Real-time analytics for deliveries, bounces, and complaints
Multi-domain support & IP reputation management tools

Frequently Asked Questions

? Is Postal hard to install?

Postal supports Docker deployment (recommended for ease) with step-by-step documentation. Basic familiarity with Docker and server management is helpful, but guides make it accessible for tech-savvy users. Traditional server setup is also possible but requires more technical expertise.

? Is Postal a good alternative to Mailchimp?

Yes—Postal offers comparable features (bulk/transactional sending, analytics) but as a self-hosted solution. It’s ideal if you want to avoid recurring costs, keep email data private, and have full control over your email sending workflow.

? Is Postal completely free?

Postal is 100% open-source with no licensing fees. You only pay for hosting resources (cloud servers/VPS) and associated costs like domain registration or IP addresses for your email infrastructure.

Top Alternatives

SendGrid Compare

Mailchimp Compare

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Tool Info

Pricing Open Source

Category Communication - Email - Complete Solutions

Platform Self-Hosted

Pros

⊕ Full control over email infrastructure and data privacy
⊕ No recurring subscription fees (open-source licensing)
⊕ Scalable for transactional and bulk email needs

Cons

⊖ Requires basic server/Docker administration knowledge
⊖ Needs ongoing maintenance (security updates, IP reputation)
⊖ Deliverability depends on proper setup (avoiding spam folders)