Postfix vs Sendmail
A side-by-side comparison of Postfix and Sendmail — pricing, license, deployment, and where each tool wins.
Postfix
postfix.org
Fast, easy to administer, and secure Sendmail replacement.
Sendmail
proofpoint.com
Message transfer agent (MTA).
| Feature | Postfix | Sendmail |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Model | Open-source | Open-source |
| License | CC-BY-SA-3.0 | CC-BY-SA-3.0 |
| Deployment | Self-hosted | Self-hosted |
| Category | Communication - Email - Mail Transfer Agents | Communication - Email - Mail Transfer Agents |
| Self-hosted | ✓Yes | ✓Yes |
| Free tier | ✓Yes | ✓Yes |
Pick Postfix if…
- ✓You prefer Postfix's feature set or ecosystem fit.
Pick Sendmail if…
- ✓You prefer Sendmail's feature set or ecosystem fit.