Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Roundcube VS Dovecot

Compare Roundcube VS Dovecot and see what are their differences

Roundcube logo Roundcube

Web-based IMAP email client

Dovecot logo Dovecot

Dovecot is an open source IMAP and POP3 email server for Linux/UNIX-like systems, written with...
  • Roundcube Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-10-18
  • Dovecot Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-01-29

Roundcube features and specs

  • Open Source
    Roundcube is free and open-source software, allowing for extensive customization and improvements by the community.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    It offers a modern and intuitive webmail interface that is easy to use for users of all technical levels.
  • Extensibility
    Roundcube supports plugins, enabling the addition of new features and functionalities tailored to specific needs.
  • Security
    The platform includes multiple security features such as built-in protection against XSS and CSRF attacks, ensuring a safer email experience.
  • Localization
    It supports multiple languages, making it accessible to users globally.

Possible disadvantages of Roundcube

  • Dependency on External Email Server
    Roundcube requires an external email server to function, which may be a drawback for users seeking an all-in-one solution.
  • Resource Intensive
    Running Roundcube can be resource-intensive, impacting the performance of low-end servers.
  • Complex Setup
    Initial installation and configuration can be complex, requiring technical expertise and familiarity with server management.
  • Limited Mobile Support
    Roundcube's interface is not fully optimized for mobile devices, which may affect the user experience on smartphones and tablets.
  • Maintenance
    Regular updates and maintenance are necessary to ensure security and functionality, which can be time-consuming.

Dovecot features and specs

  • High Performance
    Dovecot is designed to handle a large number of concurrent connections efficiently, making it suitable for enterprise-level email systems.
  • Robust Security Features
    It includes strong security features such as SSL/TLS support, secure password storage mechanisms, and support for various authentication protocols.
  • Easy Configuration
    Dovecot offers a straightforward configuration with comprehensible documentation, making it easier for administrators to set up and maintain.
  • Extensive Protocol Support
    It supports a variety of email protocols, including IMAP, POP3, and managesieve, providing flexibility in email client compatibility.
  • Active Community and Regular Updates
    Dovecot has an active development community that provides continuous improvements, bug fixes, and security updates.

Possible disadvantages of Dovecot

  • Complex Advanced Configuration
    While basic setup is straightforward, advanced configurations can become complex, requiring detailed understanding of Dovecot’s architecture.
  • Resource Intensive
    For very high email loads, Dovecot can become resource-intensive, necessitating more powerful server hardware.
  • Limited Web-based Management Tools
    Compared to some commercial email servers, Dovecot lacks an integrated web-based management interface, which could complicate management for some users.
  • Dependence on External Programs
    For complete email service functionality, Dovecot often requires integration with other external programs, such as Postfix for SMTP, which might demand additional configuration and maintenance.

Analysis of Roundcube

Overall verdict

  • Roundcube is a solid choice for those looking for a customizable and reliable webmail solution. Its open-source nature makes it a preferred option for developers and organizations seeking a cost-effective and adaptable solution.

Why this product is good

  • Roundcube is a popular web-based email client known for its user-friendly interface and rich feature set. It is an open-source application, which allows customization and flexibility for various use cases. With a robust plugin environment, Roundcube can be extended to fit specific needs, and it supports standards-compliant email protocols such as IMAP. Additionally, its responsive design ensures accessibility across different devices.

Recommended for

    Roundcube is recommended for small to medium-sized organizations, educational institutions, and individuals looking for a versatile and user-friendly webmail client. It is especially suitable for those who require an open-source solution that can be tailored to specific needs through plugins and custom development.

Roundcube videos

Siteground Webmail Review: Login Access Email Account and Roundcube Overview

More videos:

  • Review - Roundcube Webmail 2018 Review, Free Download For Windows

Dovecot videos

Barbara Rae Exhibition at Dovecot Studios

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Roundcube and Dovecot)
Email
89 89%
11% 11
Email Clients
100 100%
0% 0
SMTP Server
73 73%
27% 27
Self-hosted Email
83 83%
17% 17

User comments

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Reviews

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

Roundcube Reviews

Top 15 Self-hosted open-source free web-based email clients
RoundCube features LDAP connection, address book management, IDNA and SMTPUTF8 support, share/ global IMAP folders, import/ export options, threaded message listing and more.
Source: medevel.com
15 Best iRedMail Alternatives 2021
Roundcube also offers many of the functions you can find on iRedMail including message searching, folder manipulation, multiple sender identities, support for the external SMTP server, import/export, and unlimited messages and users.
Top 10 Webmail Clients in 2021
RoundCube RoundCube Webmail is a PHP webmail client that will work with a MySQL or Postgres database. One appealing feature it brings is the ability to skin the application-style user interface using XHTML and CSS 2. The app is a multi-language IMAP client whose features include MIME support, address book, editable folder search and spelling check, and it works in your web...
Source: www.plesk.com
5 open source webmail clients for browser-based email
I really like Horde's mobile UI, and the mail client was pretty easy to install separate from the rest of it. SquirrelMail and RoundCube are challenging to use on a mobile device. RoundCube has a supposed mobile plugin but I could not get it to work.
Source: opensource.com

Dovecot Reviews

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

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Roundcube seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 16 times 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.

Roundcube mentions (16)

  • Proton Mail says Outlook for Windows is Microsoft's new data collection service
    I have tried several, and liked none of them. I'm currently on Geary, but it's lacking in functionality, and it has things like search results being a bit different upon each of my searches. Starred messages cannot be shown on top. Eyeroll. I think Evolution and Thunderbird are the top contenders, and of the self-hosted ones, Roundcube. https://wiki.gnome.org/Apps/Geary https://roundcube.net/. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Universal Inbox / Email Client
    You could try a standalone email client like Mozilla's Thunderbird, or if you're experienced running a web server, you could check out something like Roundcube. I suppose you could even run it locally if you're familiar with PHP and/or Docker. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Thunderbird 115 Supernova Preview: The New Folder Pane
    What I really miss is a "web companion" for Thunderbird, basically something like https://roundcube.net/ or https://www.horde.org/apps/webmail, but a bit more powerful and with better UX. I'd like to use a Google Addressbook within such app, for example (there is a completely outdated plug-in for RoundCube). Another important thing would be powerful and fast search. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • I Want To Serve My Email Locally From My Linux Server With a Web-Based Interface
    Alternatively if you want to keep what you have I wouldn't recommend using the SoGO even though it's the nicest and most modern option. Mainly because it's a full groupware client and will require a lot of configuration. Instead using Roundcube is probably your best option. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Selfhosted webmail client for teams
    Roundcube might fit the bill for you. Source: over 2 years ago
View more

Dovecot mentions (0)

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

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Roundcube and Dovecot, 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.

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

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

mailcow - An open source mailserver suite.

Rainloop - RainLoop is a web based email client.

Microsoft Exchange Server - Microsoft Exchange Server is a messaging and collaborative software product developed by Microsoft.