Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

OpenSMTPD VS aerc

Compare OpenSMTPD VS aerc and see what are their differences

OpenSMTPD logo OpenSMTPD

OpenSMTPD is a FREE implementation of the server-side SMTP protocol as defined by RFC 5321, with...

aerc logo aerc

Highly efficient and extensible email client for the terminal
  • OpenSMTPD Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-03-05
  • aerc Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-12

OpenSMTPD features and specs

  • Simplicity
    OpenSMTPD is designed to be simple and straightforward, which makes it easier to configure and manage compared to other mail transfer agents. Its configuration syntax is clean and readable.
  • Security-focused
    One of the main goals of OpenSMTPD is to provide a secure mail transfer agent. It is developed by the OpenBSD team, which is known for its emphasis on security.
  • Lightweight
    OpenSMTPD is a lightweight solution, using minimal system resources, making it suitable for systems with lower hardware capabilities or for those looking to optimize performance.
  • Integration with OpenBSD
    As a project developed by the OpenBSD team, OpenSMTPD integrates well with OpenBSD, taking advantage of the system's security features and optimizations.
  • Active Community
    OpenSMTPD has an active development community, which provides timely updates, patches, and support, helping to keep the software secure and reliable.

Possible disadvantages of OpenSMTPD

  • Feature Limitation
    Compared to more established mail servers like Postfix or Exim, OpenSMTPD may lack some advanced features or integrations that larger enterprises might require.
  • Limited Documentation
    The documentation for OpenSMTPD, while improving, is not as comprehensive as that for more widely-used MTAs, which can create a steeper learning curve for new administrators.
  • Less Third-Party Support
    Due to its lesser adoption compared to other MTAs, there might be fewer third-party tools, plugins, and resources available for extending OpenSMTPD's capabilities.
  • Platform Specific Optimization
    While its integration with OpenBSD is a strength, it may not be as optimized for other operating systems, possibly leading to a less efficient experience outside the BSD ecosystem.
  • Community-Centric Development
    Being a smaller, community-driven project, OpenSMTPD may not offer the same level of support or development resources as more commercially backed mail server solutions.

aerc features and specs

  • User Interface
    Aerc offers a minimalist and efficient interface, ideal for users who prefer a console-based email client with keyboard-driven operations.
  • Customization
    It provides extensive customization options, allowing users to tailor their email experience according to their workflow needs.
  • Privacy
    With Aerc being open-source, users have greater transparency over its operation, contributing to a more secure and privacy-focused experience.
  • Efficiency
    Designed to run in a terminal, Aerc is lightweight and consumes minimal system resources, making it ideal for power users and developers.
  • Scripting Capabilities
    It supports integration with various scripting languages, enabling automation of routine tasks and enhancing productivity.

Possible disadvantages of aerc

  • Learning Curve
    New users, especially those unfamiliar with terminal-based applications, may find it challenging to learn and use effectively.
  • Limited User Base
    As a niche email client, the community and support resources are not as vast as more mainstream email clients, possibly leading to limited help for troubleshooting.
  • Feature Set
    Compared to graphical email clients, it may lack some of the advanced features or integrations that are available in more popular applications.
  • Visuals
    The text-only, terminal interface might not appeal to users who prefer a graphical user experience with rich media support.
  • Configuration Complexity
    Setting up accounts and customizing can be complex, requiring users to edit configuration files manually, which may not be user-friendly for everyone.

OpenSMTPD videos

DAY[0] Episode #31 - kr00k, GhostCat, and more issues from NordVPN, Samsung, OpenSMTPd

aerc videos

Control Check Exam, AERC Educational Series

More videos:

  • Review - Temperature controller (subzero) Arihant Electrical & Refrigeration Centre | AERC | part 2

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to OpenSMTPD and aerc)
SMTP Servers
100 100%
0% 0
Email
24 24%
76% 76
MTA
100 100%
0% 0
Email Clients
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare OpenSMTPD and aerc

OpenSMTPD Reviews

Best Free and Open Source Alternatives to Microsoft Exchange Server
OpenSMTPD is an implementation of the server-side SMTP protocol, with some additional standard extensions. Its design goals include security, reliability, ease of configuration, and support for common use cases.

aerc Reviews

We have no reviews of aerc yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, aerc seems to be a lot more popular than OpenSMTPD. While we know about 21 links to aerc, we've tracked only 2 mentions of OpenSMTPD. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

OpenSMTPD mentions (2)

  • Has anyone setup a Linux based internal only smtp relay?
    I've had something of the same experience with Postfix, u/0x29aNull. Check out OpenSMTPD. It is lightweight and standards compliant. I know that there are packages for Debian and Alpine Linux. There may also be ones for Fedora/RHEL derivatives. I use it in my environment on OpenBSD. Source: over 3 years ago
  • DKIM Migration: Rpamd instead of DKIMproxy out on OpenBSD / OpenSMTPD
    When I installed Rspamd with on OpenBSD / OpenSMTPD the other day, DKIMProxy out (dkimproxy_out daemon), which had been got via OpenBSD Ports package system, was used to add DKIM signatures to mails in order to improve security on emails. - Source: dev.to / about 5 years ago

aerc mentions (21)

  • Help Keep Thunderbird Alive
    I tried for a long time to work with Thunderbird, but what kept bothering me was that I couldnโ€™t simply define keyboard shortcuts. In the end, I landed on AERC and created my own extreme Vim-style keyboard configuration (the idea is to look at the list of mails like looking at a buffer in vim) for it. Iโ€™ve never been this fast when it comes to email. https://aerc-mail.org/. - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • Show HN: InstantDB โ€“ The Modern Firebase
    How about (inspired by another HN post) - a rebuild of a TUI for email, given how its built: https://blog.sergeantbiggs.net/posts/aerc-a-well-crafted-tui-for-email/ https://aerc-mail.org/ It seems that building a version of this Aerc Email TUi with Instant is a completely doable? Might be an interesting tutorial to build out an Instant FroBenDB (Instant is an instant Front-BackendDB :-) --- btu the txtual nature... - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
  • Aerc: A Well-Crafted TUI for Email
    The official site has video of it in use. https://aerc-mail.org/. - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
  • Email and Git = <3
    You have some points, for some I do think it isn't as bad as you write. FWIW, some comments inline. > - You can't subscribe to a single PR/bug/feature-request thread. Subscription to the mailing list is all-or-nothing. And no, setting up email filters is not a reasonable solution. You can use tools like public-inbox or lei, the former is hosted for bigger projects on https://lore.kernel.org/ If you're interested,... - Source: Hacker News / almost 3 years ago
  • git-appraise โ€“ Distributed Code Review for Git
    > Another problem is how badly email threading is displayed in these clients. Email UI is still abysmal. Fair point. However, given that the current alternative is "use another service entirely (e.g. GitHub)", I think it would be fair to assume that devs could choose a good e-mail client and learn how to format such e-mails correctly. It works for Linux, for instance. I started using Aerc, and I love it:... - Source: Hacker News / almost 3 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing OpenSMTPD and aerc, you can also consider the following products

Postfix - Postfix is a mail transfer agent (MTA) that routes and delivers electronic mail.

Mu4e - Starting with version 0.9.8, mu provides an emacs-based e-mail client which uses mu as its back-end: mu4e.

Exim - Exim is a message transfer agent (MTA) developed at the University of Cambridge for use on Unix systems connected to the Internet.

MailMate - MailMate is an alternative email client that was designed for the macOS.

Sendmail - Sendmail is a general purpose internetwork email routing facility that supports many kinds of...

Mailspring - Mailspring is a mail client for Mac, Windows and Linux.