PrivateMail

PrivateMail

PrivateMail is an open-source, self-hosted email server focused on privacy and security. It allows users to manage their emails locally without relying on external third-party services.
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privacy security encryption email opensource

PrivateMail: Self-Hosted Email Server for Privacy

Open-source email server focusing on privacy and security, allowing users to manage their emails locally without relying on third-party services.

What is PrivateMail?

PrivateMail is an open-source email server software designed to maximize privacy and security. It is self-hosted, meaning it runs on your own server or computer rather than relying on a third-party hosted service.

Some key features of PrivateMail include:

  • End-to-end encryption using PGP to keep emails private.
  • No data mining or selling of user data since it's self-hosted.
  • Secure IMAP/POP3 and SMTP access for syncing with email clients.
  • Spam filtering and other security protections against phishing/malware.
  • CalDAV and CardDAV support for contacts and calendar syncing.
  • Web UI for accessing email through a browser.

By self-hosting PrivateMail, users avoid relying on big email providers that may use their data for advertising or mining purposes. It gives users more control and ownership over their inboxes and data.

The open-source server backend is written in Go, while the customizable web UI uses React/Redux. It can be deployed on Linux or BSD systems either on-premise or through cloud/VPS providers.

Overall, PrivateMail aims to balance usability, security, and privacy for personal and business use cases requiring an independent, encrypted email service.

PrivateMail Features

Features

  1. Open-source email server software
  2. Self-hosted for privacy and security
  3. Full email functionality and management
  4. Encryption of emails and attachments
  5. User access control and permissions
  6. Spam filtering
  7. Contacts and calendar sync
  8. Mobile app support

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Enhanced privacy - no data mining of emails

Full control over data and security

Avoid reliance on external email providers

Customizable to specific needs

Lower long-term costs than paid email services

Cons

Requires technical expertise to setup and manage

Lack of third-party support services

Ongoing server maintenance is required

Less user-friendly than commercial options

Limited native integrations and plugins


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