SnappyMail is a free, open-source webmail client forked from RainLoop. Explore its features, security, self-hosting requirements, and pricing (its free).
SnappyMail is a free, open-source webmail client designed to give any IMAP and SMTP mail server a modern, browser-based front end. It began as a fork of RainLoop Webmail Community Edition, rewritten with mobile compatibility, performance, and security as the top priorities, since the original RainLoop codebase had not kept pace with current browser standards.
The software does not host or store mail on its own. Instead, it acts as a bridge: administrators install SnappyMail on a PHP-capable web server, point it at an existing IMAP backend such as Dovecot or Microsoft Exchange, and users log in through their browser to read, compose, and organize email exactly as they would with a hosted webmail service.
Because it has no database dependency, deployment is simpler than many comparable open-source webmail projects, and updates typically involve replacing application files rather than running migrations. This makes SnappyMail a common choice for control panels, hosting providers, and self-managed mail stacks.
SnappyMail focuses on the core webmail experience: composing, reading, replying to, and organizing messages into folders, alongside contact management and multi-account support so a single install can serve many mailboxes.
Encryption is a standout area. SnappyMail integrates OpenPGP.js, GnuPG, and Mailvelope so users can send and receive PGP-encrypted mail directly from the browser, including support for modern ECDSA and EDDSA key types that RainLoop never supported.
Performance and footprint were rebuilt from the ground up: dropped support for legacy browsers like Internet Explorer and Edge Legacy allowed the team to ship smaller, faster-loading code, which matters most on mobile networks and low-powered devices.
SnappyMail itself is completely free to download, install, and use under the AGPLv3 open-source license. There is no official paid tier, subscription, or license fee from the maintainer for the software itself.
Because it is self-hosted, the real cost to an organization is the server, PHP hosting, and IT time required to install, secure, and maintain it, plus whatever the underlying IMAP or SMTP mail server costs to run.
The project accepts voluntary donations to support ongoing development, but this is optional and does not unlock additional features. Some hosting providers and control panels bundle SnappyMail as part of a paid hosting package, but that pricing is set by the hosting provider, not by the SnappyMail project.
Yes. SnappyMail is free, open-source software released under the AGPLv3 license, with no cost to download, install, or use.
Yes. SnappyMail began as a heavily modified fork of RainLoop Webmail Community Edition, rebuilt for modern browsers, mobile compatibility, and improved security.
No. SnappyMail runs on a PHP web server and does not require MySQL, PostgreSQL, or any other database to operate.
Yes. SnappyMail integrates OpenPGP.js, GnuPG, and Mailvelope so users can send and receive encrypted mail, including support for ECDSA and EDDSA keys.
SnappyMail connects to any standard IMAP and SMTP server, including common self-hosted stacks like Dovecot and Postfix, as well as Microsoft Exchange.
Mostly no. SnappyMail changed how plugins and extensions are managed, so most RainLoop-era plugins are not directly compatible.
SnappyMail itself is a self-hosted application distributed by its maintainers. Some third-party hosting providers bundle it into their own hosting packages at prices they set independently.
SnappyMail is maintained by developer the-djmaze and community contributors on GitHub, under the AGPLv3 open-source license.