Ad
Learn more

Mailspring vs Roundcube

Learn how Mailspring and Roundcube differ in their key features, development activity, technology stack and community adoption, so you can decide which of these email clients is best for you.

vs

Mailspring

Desktop email client for Mac, Windows, and Linux with unified inbox, read receipts, link tracking, send later, grammar checking, and contact enrichment.
  • Stars

    17,939+0.1%
  • Last commit

    4 hours ago
  • Repository age

    10 years
  • Version

    1.26.2
  • License

    GPL-3.0
  • Repository

    mailspring
Screenshot of Mailspring

Roundcube

PHP-based webmail client with MIME support, address book, folder management, threaded views, PGP encryption, and a plugin API for self-hosted email.
  • Stars

    7,239+0.2%
  • Last commit

    7 hours ago
  • Repository age

    14 years
  • Version

    1.7.5
  • License

    GPL-3.0
  • Self-hosted

    Yes
  • Repository

    roundcubemail
Screenshot of Roundcube

Detailed Comparison

Both Mailspring and Roundcube have their unique strengths and serve similar purposes effectively. Consider your specific needs regarding popularity, growth, activity, maturity, licensing and features when making your decision.

Mailspring wins
Community & Popularity

Mailspring leads in popularity with 17,939 stars vs 7,239 stars for Roundcube. The 148% higher star count indicates stronger community adoption. In terms of developer contributions, Roundcube has 1,801 forks, indicating strong developer engagement.

Comparable
Growth Momentum

Mailspring and Roundcube are moving at much the same rate, adding 10 stars and adding 13 stars respectively over the last 30 days (+0.1% vs +0.2%). Neither is pulling away from the other on momentum alone.

Comparable
Development Activity

Both projects show recent activity, with Mailspring last updated 4 hours ago and Roundcube 7 hours ago.

Roundcube wins
Project Maturity

Roundcube has been in development longer, starting 14 years ago, compared to Mailspring which began 10 years ago. This 4.5-year head start suggests Roundcube may have more mature features and established processes.

Comparable
Licensing

Both projects use the GPL-3.0 license, providing identical terms for usage and distribution.

Comparable
Use Cases & Features

Both tools serve similar use cases in Email Clients.

Roundcube wins
Hosting & Deployment

Roundcube provides self-hosting options for complete data control and customization, while Mailspring may be primarily cloud-based or require different deployment approaches.