Cyrus IMAP

Email (IMAP/POP3), contacts and calendar server.

GitHub stars: 652
License: BSD-3-Clause-Attribution
Latest release: cyrus-imapd-3.8.8
9 September 2026
Last commit: 12 October 2026
Runs on: C

Commits per month, last 12 months

2,619 commits

How to self-host Cyrus IMAP

Cyrus IMAP runs on C. The project's own install guide is the place to start; most people put it on a small server with Docker and a reverse proxy for HTTPS.

Get a server: a home server, a VPS, or a managed app host.
Install it the way the project's docs describe, usually with Docker Compose.
Put it behind HTTPS and set up backups before you add real data.
Update it regularly. Watch the project's releases.

New to self-hosting? Start with the beginner's guide.

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Questions

Is Cyrus IMAP free?

Yes. Cyrus IMAP is open source under the BSD-3-Clause-Attribution license, so you can use it without paying for a license. You pay only for the server it runs on.

Can I self-host Cyrus IMAP?

Yes. Cyrus IMAP runs on C. Follow the install guide in the project's documentation, or use a host that installs it for you.

Is Cyrus IMAP still maintained?

The last change to Cyrus IMAP's code was on 12 October 2026, with 2619 commits in the last 12 months.

Topics

App data from awesome-selfhosted (CC BY-SA 3.0), stars and activity from GitHub.