Haraka vs Postal
Self-host pick — both replace SendGrid (Transactional email API).
Both Haraka and Postal self-host as a replacement for SendGrid (Transactional email API). Pick Postal if you want the lighter footprint — 30min docker-compose (Postal + MariaDB + RabbitMQ), $5-10 vps for the server itself; deliverability matters more than cost — most setups relay through amazon ses at $0. Pick Haraka if you need engineers who want a programmable SMTP layer and are comfortable shipping a small amount of glue code — 1h (Haraka is a framework — you wire plugins for your routing rules) and $5 vps; you compose haraka with your own node plugins, so cost is whatever you build.
| Harakaopen-source | Postalopen-source | |
|---|---|---|
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Setup time | 1h (Haraka is a framework — you wire plugins for your routing rules) | 30min docker-compose (Postal + MariaDB + RabbitMQ) |
| Monthly cost | $5 VPS; you compose Haraka with your own Node plugins, so cost is whatever you build. | $5-10 VPS for the server itself; deliverability matters more than cost — most setups relay through Amazon SES at $0.10 / 1k emails to keep IP reputation clean. |
| GitHub | haraka/Haraka | postalserver/postal |
| Replaces | SendGrid | SendGrid |
Good fit for
Haraka
Engineers who want a programmable SMTP layer and are comfortable shipping a small amount of glue code.
Weak at:No GUI, no batteries-included dashboard; deliverability tooling is what you build.
Postal
Teams sending real-volume transactional email that want a SendGrid-shaped HTTP API + a clear deliverability dashboard.
Weak at:Marketing automation (templates, A/B, drip campaigns) is not Postal's job — pair with Listmonk or Mautic for that.
In a terminal? npx -y github:SolvoHQ/os-alt-cli sendgrid prints SendGrid's self-host options including both —
how the CLI works →
FAQ
Which is easier to self-host, Haraka or Postal?
Haraka: 1h (Haraka is a framework — you wire plugins for your routing rules). Postal: 30min docker-compose (Postal + MariaDB + RabbitMQ).
What does each cost to run?
Haraka: $5 VPS; you compose Haraka with your own Node plugins, so cost is whatever you build.. Postal: $5-10 VPS for the server itself; deliverability matters more than cost — most setups relay through Amazon SES at $0.10 / 1k emails to keep IP reputation clean.. Both projects are free and open source.
Do Haraka and Postal replace the same SaaS?
Yes — both are open-source alternatives to SendGrid.