Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Postfix VS sSMTP

Compare Postfix VS sSMTP and see what are their differences

Postfix logo Postfix

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

sSMTP logo sSMTP

sSMTP is a simple MTA to deliver mail from a computer to a mail server.
  • Postfix Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-15
  • sSMTP Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-04

Postfix features and specs

  • Security
    Postfix is known for its robust security features, including strong defenses against spam and malware.
  • Performance
    Postfix is designed to be efficient under heavy loads, making it suitable for both small and large-scale email servers.
  • Compatibility
    Postfix is compatible with various mail protocols such as SMTP, making it versatile for different email infrastructures.
  • Reliability
    Postfix is highly reliable, offering consistent performance and uptime, which is critical for mail servers.
  • Configuration
    Postfix offers a flexible and understandable configuration system, allowing administrators to fine-tune the server settings as per their needs.
  • Community Support
    There is a strong community and extensive documentation available, providing support and resources for troubleshooting and advanced configurations.
  • Lightweight
    Postfix is relatively lightweight, ensuring that it doesn't consume excessive system resources.

Possible disadvantages of Postfix

  • Complexity
    Despite its powerful features, setting up and configuring Postfix can be complex, especially for beginners who are not familiar with mail servers.
  • Learning Curve
    There is a learning curve associated with understanding its configuration files and parameters, which can be daunting for new users.
  • Limited GUI Options
    Postfix does not come with a built-in graphical user interface, making it less accessible for users who prefer GUI-based management.
  • Dependency on Other Software
    Postfix often relies on additional software (like Dovecot for IMAP/POP) for full functionality, which can complicate setup and maintenance.
  • Debugging Complexity
    Debugging issues with Postfix can be complicated due to its extensive feature set and numerous configuration options.

sSMTP features and specs

  • Lightweight
    sSMTP is a minimalistic SMTP client that is significantly lighter than most full-fledged mail transfer agents (MTAs). This makes it ideal for systems with limited resources.
  • Easy Configuration
    sSMTP requires minimal configuration to send emails. Configuration is typically straightforward and involves editing a single file.
  • Secure Email Sending
    sSMTP supports TLS/SSL, allowing for secure email transmission which is essential for protecting sensitive information.
  • Simplified Use Case
    Designed purely for forwarding emails to a mail hub, reducing complexity for specific use cases like sending system alerts or reports.

Possible disadvantages of sSMTP

  • Limited Functionality
    sSMTP lacks advanced features found in full MTAs like mail queuing, multiple email server support, and local email delivery.
  • Unmaintained
    The sSMTP project is no longer actively maintained, which can lead to potential security risks and compatibility issues over time.
  • No Authentication Handling
    sSMTP does not handle email authentication beyond basic username and password; it does not support modern authentication mechanisms like OAuth.
  • No Receiving Capability
    sSMTP is incapable of receiving and storing emails, limiting its use to just sending outgoing mail.

Analysis of Postfix

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Postfix is considered good due to its reliability, security, and scalability. It is widely used in the industry and is continually maintained and updated, which ensures it remains a dependable choice for mail server needs.

Why this product is good

  • Postfix is recognized for its robust architecture, strong security features, and ease of administration. With its efficient handling of large volumes of email, it is a preferred choice for many system administrators. Additionally, Postfix has comprehensive documentation and an active community for support, making it accessible even for those who might be new to email servers.

Recommended for

    Postfix is ideal for businesses, educational institutions, or individual users who need a robust and secure email server. It is especially recommended for environments requiring high-performance and stable email systems, as well as those looking for a solution that can handle large-scale email distribution efficiently.

Postfix videos

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sSMTP videos

Debian Package of the Day S01E13 - #13: ssmtp

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Postfix and sSMTP)
Email
74 74%
26% 26
SMTP Server
74 74%
26% 26
Self-hosted Email
100 100%
0% 0
MTA
58 58%
42% 42

User comments

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Reviews

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

Postfix Reviews

10 Microsoft Exchange Server Alternatives
Postfix is an MTA that allows the user to receive and deliver electronic mail. The platform is open-sourced that is easy to administer, attempts to be fast, and a secure way for the usage of EM. It is also known by the names of IBM Secure Mailer and VMailer. Many of the systems that support Postfix runs such as AIX, BSD, HP-UX, LINUX, macOS, Solaris, Tru64 UNIX, etc. The...
15 Best iRedMail Alternatives 2021
Postfix is very emphatic when it comes to security. Like iRedMail, it is able to encrypt your sessions and perform certificate-based authentication to keep your mail services secure, private, and protected. Postfix also offers stress adaptive features and various content inspection methods to choose from.

sSMTP Reviews

We have no reviews of sSMTP yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Postfix seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 1 time since March 2021. 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.

Postfix mentions (1)

  • OVH VPS Postfix can't receive external emails
    Read the documentation on postfix.org and/or buy one of the many available Postfix books (it really helps to understand the Postfix philosophy). Source: about 4 years ago

sSMTP mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of sSMTP yet. Tracking of sSMTP recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Postfix and sSMTP, you can also consider the following products

Zimbra - Zimbra is trusted by over 500 million users to increase productivity with a complete set of collaboration tools while maintaining total control over security and privacy.

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

iRedMail - A fully fledged, free email server solution, an open source project (GPL v2).

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

mailcow - An open source mailserver suite.

msmtp - msmtp is an SMTP client.