Software Alternatives & Startups

Purelymail VS CloudLinux

Compare Purelymail VS CloudLinux and see what are their differences

Purelymail

Cheap, no-nonsense email.

Rating
5.0 · 1 review
Pricing
Paid $10 / Annually
CloudLinux

Making Linux secure, stable, and profitable for thousands of hosting providers and data centers worldwide.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Purelymail seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned 60 times since March 2021.

social mentions
60 vs 0
Email Service Provider popularity
100% vs 0%

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Purelymail
CloudLinux
Website purelymail.com cloudlinux.com
Pricing
Paid $10 / Annually Official pricing
Open source
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Purelymail 5 features
CloudLinux 5 features
  • Affordability
    Purelymail offers a cost-effective email solution with low pricing compared to many competitors, making it an attractive option for users looking to save on email hosting fees.
  • Transparency
    The service provides a transparent pricing structure and detailed documentation, including comprehensive information about their privacy policy and security practices.
  • Customization
    Purelymail allows for a high level of customization with user-configurable features, enabling users to tailor their email experience to their specific needs.
  • Privacy Focus
    With a strong emphasis on user privacy, Purelymail limits data collection and provides controls over personal data, appealing to privacy-conscious users.
  • No Advertisements
    Purelymail does not include advertisements in their email service, allowing for a cleaner and more professional user experience without distractions.

Possible disadvantages

  • Limited Ecosystem
    Purelymail offers fewer integrations and add-on services compared to larger providers like Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, potentially limiting functionality for some users.
  • Smaller User Base
    As a smaller company in the email service market, Purelymail may have fewer resources for development and customer support compared to larger competitors.
  • Brand Recognition
    The brand is less known than major email providers, which might influence trust or willingness to switch for some users who prefer established companies.
  • DIY Approach
    The service requires a more hands-on approach to setup and configuration, which might be challenging for users who are not technically inclined.
  • Lack of Mobile Apps
    Purelymail does not provide dedicated mobile apps, potentially causing inconvenience for users who prefer managing emails through apps rather than a browser.
  • Enhanced Server Stability
    CloudLinux uses its lightweight virtualization technology (LVE) to isolate each tenant on a shared hosting server, preventing any single user from consuming excessive resources and crashing the server for everyone else. This ensures consistent uptime and performance.
  • Improved Security with HardenedPHP and KernelCare
    CloudLinux offers HardenedPHP, which patches old and unsupported PHP versions against known vulnerabilities, and KernelCare, which provides live kernel patching without requiring server reboots. These features significantly enhance server security posture.
  • Resource Limit Management
    Administrators can set granular resource limits (CPU, memory, I/O, number of processes, etc.) per user account using LVE Manager. This makes it easy to manage shared hosting environments and ensure fair resource distribution among tenants.
  • CageFS File System Virtualization
    CageFS creates a virtualized file system for each user, preventing them from seeing other users on the server, viewing sensitive configuration files, or exploiting server vulnerabilities. This adds an important layer of isolation and security.
  • Wide Compatibility with Hosting Panels
    CloudLinux integrates seamlessly with popular hosting control panels such as cPanel, Plesk, and DirectAdmin, making it straightforward for hosting providers to adopt without overhauling their existing infrastructure or workflows.

Possible disadvantages

  • Additional Licensing Cost
    CloudLinux requires a paid monthly or annual license on top of the base server cost. For smaller hosting providers or individual server owners, this additional expense can add up and may not always be justifiable compared to free alternatives.
  • Limited to CentOS/RHEL-Based Systems
    CloudLinux is built on top of RHEL/CentOS and does not support other Linux distributions like Ubuntu or Debian. This limits its adoption for hosting providers who prefer or already run non-RHEL-based environments.
  • Learning Curve for Configuration
    While CloudLinux provides powerful resource management tools, properly configuring LVE limits, CageFS, PHP Selector, and other features requires a solid understanding of the platform. Misconfiguration can lead to users being unnecessarily restricted or resources being poorly allocated.
  • Potential Performance Overhead
    The additional layers of virtualization, resource monitoring, and file system isolation introduced by CloudLinux can impose a slight performance overhead on the server compared to running a bare, unmodified Linux distribution without these controls.
  • Dependency on CloudLinux Ecosystem
    Adopting CloudLinux means relying on their ecosystem for kernel updates, PHP patches, and security fixes. If the company experiences delays in releasing patches or changes its pricing/licensing model, hosting providers may find themselves locked into a dependency that is difficult to migrate away from.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

Purelymail
CloudLinux

No analysis of Purelymail yet.

Overall verdict

  • CloudLinux is a well-regarded, mature Linux OS distribution and toolset specifically designed for shared hosting and multi-tenant server environments, offering strong isolation, resource management, and security features that make it a solid choice for hosting providers.

Why this product is good

  • Provides LVE (Lightweight Virtual Environment) technology for per-tenant resource isolation, preventing 'bad neighbor' effects on shared servers
  • Enhances server stability and security by isolating users so that one account's issues (crashes, resource spikes) don't affect others
  • Offers extended lifecycle support (longer than standard CentOS/RHEL support windows), which is valuable for legacy systems
  • Includes tools like CloudLinux OS Shield, Imunify360 integration, and hardened kernel options for improved security
  • Compatible with popular control panels like cPanel and Plesk, making it easy to integrate into existing hosting stacks
  • Backed by an established company with a long track record in the hosting industry and responsive support
  • Offers granular control over CPU, memory, I/O, and other resources per user account
  • Provides PHP Selector and multiple PHP version support, useful for hosting providers serving diverse client needs

Recommended for

  • Web hosting companies running shared or reseller hosting environments
  • Hosting providers needing to isolate customer accounts on the same physical server
  • Businesses requiring extended OS support lifecycles beyond standard RHEL/CentOS EOL dates
  • Enterprises using cPanel or Plesk that want tighter security and resource control
  • Hosting companies looking to reduce support tickets caused by noisy-neighbor resource contention
  • IT teams managing multi-tenant infrastructure who need governance and monitoring tools built into the OS layer

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Purelymail 0 videos + Add
CloudLinux 3 videos + Add

No Purelymail videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

When To Use Cloudlinux On Your Virtual Private Server (VPS)

More videos

  • - CloudLinux OS+ in a minute: Explore Features
  • - How CloudLinux Plans to Keep CentOS 6 Alive

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Purelymail
CloudLinux
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

Share your experience with using Purelymail and CloudLinux. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

Purelymail 5.0 · 1 review
CloudLinux no reviews yet
  • Rated 5/5 by David Beinder
    SaaSHub review
    · Jul 2023

    No issues with email deliverability so far, and very cost effective. There is also usage-based billing which starts at 4$/year and should end up cheaper than the flat rate for most use cases. No extra cost per domain...

  • Moving away from GMail
    rolisz.ro · Apr 2020

    Besides the low price, PurelyMail has one more awesome thing: you pay for storage, not for users. So if you have a custom domain, you can create as many users as you want and you won't pay extra. All you will pay for...

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

Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

Purelymail 60 mentions
CloudLinux 0 mentions
  • Now Google says it might use your Gmail and Google Photos data to target ads
    Purelymail. Really cheap, just works and doesn’t get in my way. https://purelymail.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 11 days ago
  • Launch HN: AgentMail (YC S25) – An API that gives agents their own email inboxes
    Https://blog.cloudflare.com/email-service/ So yes it supports both and this feature was recently added (september 2025) & its still in private beta or something similar but yes now its possible. But I have still written parts of the... - Source: Hacker News / 9 months ago
  • Ask HN: What Are You Working On? (December 2025)
    You may want to check out https://purelymail.com who are pretty close to your target pricing. I've been using them since forever and have no reasons to switch but it is always great to see more players in the niche! - Source: Hacker News / 11 months ago

View more

Tracking CloudLinux since Mar 2021.

Alternatives to Purelymail and CloudLinux

When comparing Purelymail and CloudLinux, you can also consider the following products.