chasquid Review, Pricing & Features

chasquid is a free, open-source SMTP server written in Go for simple, secure self-hosted email. Learn its features, security model, and setup basics.

Category
Communication
Pricing
Free/Open Source, from Free
Verified
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Last updated
July 18, 2026
Open SourceSelf-Hosted

Overview

chasquid is a free, open-source SMTP email server written in Go and released under the Apache License 2.0. It is maintained by independent developer Alberto Bertogli and is designed as a simpler, more secure-by-default alternative to established mail transfer agents like Postfix and Exim.

The project targets individuals and small groups who want to self-host their own email infrastructure, prioritizing configurations that are hard to get wrong in insecure ways over the flexibility of a fully general-purpose MTA.

Key Features

chasquid supports virtual domains and aliases, DKIM signing and verification, SPF and MTA-STS validation, and TLS downgrade protection, along with internationalized usernames and domains (SMTPUTF8/IDNA).

It integrates with Dovecot for authentication, supports Let's Encrypt for automatic TLS certificates, and exposes a monitoring HTTP endpoint for debugging, while leaving spam and antivirus filtering to external hook-based tools.

Pricing

chasquid is completely free and open source with no paid tiers, subscriptions, or hosted offering from the maintainer. Users self-host it on their own infrastructure (a VPS or on-premise server) and are responsible for their own hosting costs, backups, and uptime.

Key Features

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Completely free and fully open source
  • Secure-by-default configuration reduces common mail server misconfigurations
  • Lightweight single Go binary with minimal dependencies
  • Actively maintained with regular security-focused releases

Cons

  • No graphical or web-based admin interface
  • Requires Linux system administration knowledge to set up and operate
  • No built-in webmail client or inbox; must be paired with a separate mail client
  • Smaller community and fewer tutorials than Postfix or Exim

Pricing

Frequently Asked Questions

What is chasquid?

chasquid is a free, open-source SMTP email server written in Go, designed for simple and secure self-hosted email.

Is chasquid free to use?

Yes, chasquid is completely free and open source under the Apache License 2.0.

Does chasquid support DKIM and Let's Encrypt?

Yes, chasquid supports DKIM signing/verification and is designed to integrate easily with Let's Encrypt for automatic TLS certificates.

Who maintains chasquid?

chasquid is developed and maintained by Alberto Bertogli as an independent open-source project.

Can beginners self-host email with chasquid?

chasquid is aimed at technically proficient users comfortable with Linux administration and configuration files; it has no graphical setup wizard.

Does chasquid include a webmail inbox?

No, chasquid only handles mail transport (SMTP); it is typically paired with an IMAP server like Dovecot and a separate mail client.

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