Sendmail vs Postfix

Struggling to choose between Sendmail and Postfix? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Sendmail is a Network & Admin solution with tags like email, smtp, mta, mail-transfer-agent.

It boasts features such as Mail Transfer Agent (MTA) for routing and delivering email, Runs as a daemon on Unix/Linux systems, Uses SMTP protocol for sending outgoing mail, Uses a flexible configuration file to control mail routing, Supports aliases, mailing lists, forwarding, filtering, Integrates with LDAP directories for authentication, Includes anti-spam and anti-virus capabilities and pros including Widely used and well established, Open source and free, Highly scalable and reliable, Flexible configuration options, Supports security features like TLS, Integrates with other tools via Milter interface.

On the other hand, Postfix is a Network & Admin product tagged with mail-transfer-agent, mta, email-routing, email-delivery.

Its standout features include Mail Transfer Agent (MTA) for routing and delivering email, High performance and efficient email delivery, Easy administration with main configuration file postfix.cf, Built-in security features like SMTP authentication and TLS encryption, Compatible with Sendmail and easy migration from Sendmail, Modular design allowing third-party plugins and add-ons, Support for virtual domains, aliases, forwarding, etc, Content filtering with third-party products, Backward compatible with Sendmail configuration files, and it shines with pros like Very fast and efficient, Easy to install, configure and maintain, Highly secure and stable, Great flexibility and extensibility, Excellent compatibility with Sendmail and other MTAs, Active development and support community.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

Sendmail

Sendmail

Sendmail is a widely used open-source mail transfer agent (MTA) for routing and delivering email on Unix and Linux systems. It handles routing emails between mail servers and delivers them to local users' mailboxes.

Categories:
email smtp mta mail-transfer-agent

Sendmail Features

  1. Mail Transfer Agent (MTA) for routing and delivering email
  2. Runs as a daemon on Unix/Linux systems
  3. Uses SMTP protocol for sending outgoing mail
  4. Uses a flexible configuration file to control mail routing
  5. Supports aliases, mailing lists, forwarding, filtering
  6. Integrates with LDAP directories for authentication
  7. Includes anti-spam and anti-virus capabilities

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Widely used and well established

Open source and free

Highly scalable and reliable

Flexible configuration options

Supports security features like TLS

Integrates with other tools via Milter interface

Cons

Complex configuration syntax

Steep learning curve

Requires expertise to properly secure

Not user friendly administrative interface


Postfix

Postfix

Postfix is a popular open source Mail Transfer Agent (MTA) that routes and delivers email. It is a fast, easy to administer, and secure alternative to Sendmail. Postfix handles basic email routing and delivery well.

Categories:
mail-transfer-agent mta email-routing email-delivery

Postfix Features

  1. Mail Transfer Agent (MTA) for routing and delivering email
  2. High performance and efficient email delivery
  3. Easy administration with main configuration file postfix.cf
  4. Built-in security features like SMTP authentication and TLS encryption
  5. Compatible with Sendmail and easy migration from Sendmail
  6. Modular design allowing third-party plugins and add-ons
  7. Support for virtual domains, aliases, forwarding, etc
  8. Content filtering with third-party products
  9. Backward compatible with Sendmail configuration files

Pricing

  • Open Source
  • Free

Pros

Very fast and efficient

Easy to install, configure and maintain

Highly secure and stable

Great flexibility and extensibility

Excellent compatibility with Sendmail and other MTAs

Active development and support community

Cons

Less user-friendly configuration than some alternatives

Limited built-in spam filtering capabilities

Steeper learning curve than some other MTAs

Not as feature-rich as some commercial MTAs

Requires more technical knowledge to manage