# Mox email server 14 Hacker News commenters recommended Mox email server and 1 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 8 of 13 months. It meets the Hacker Approved badge rule. **Verdict:** Free self-hosted mail server that people recommend for personal and small-team email, since its installer guides setup, signs mail by default and checks the configuration. ## Why people recommend it - Guides you through setup and checks (4 comments): "It formats mail flawlessly, signs as necessary by default, sets up every detail and checks that it's correct during installation" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49017691)) "systems like Mox mailserver or stalwart guide you through it" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48073885)) "Mox mailserver tells you exactly what to do." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47491755)) - Easy self-hosting without vendor lock-in (4 comments): "something you can run on a small VPS for personal or small-team use without vendor lock-in" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46481364)) "I encourage everyone who likes tech and freedom to host their own email." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49043911)) "VPS + self hosting of services like xmox for email/transactional email" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48272862)) - Single binary that runs on small hardware (2 comments): "pretty good single binary mail solution for personal email hosting" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48066551)) "I run mine on a Pi4 no problem whatsoever" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45800792)) ## Alternatives hackers recommend - [Stalwart Mail Server](https://hackerapproved.com/p/stalwart-mail-server.md): 27 recommend - [Postfix](https://hackerapproved.com/p/postfix.md): 21 recommend - [Dovecot](https://hackerapproved.com/p/dovecot.md): 18 recommend - [qmail](https://hackerapproved.com/p/qmail.md): 15 recommend - [mailcow](https://hackerapproved.com/p/mailcow.md): 15 recommend ## Cite as Hacker Approved, "Mox email server", https://hackerapproved.com/p/mox/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).