Deploy a Mailcow email server on your own VPS.

Add a fresh Ubuntu 24.04 server and enter your email domain and mail hostname. NodePanel installs Docker and Mailcow on it. You then create your mailboxes in the Mailcow admin.

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Example mail serverMailcow

mail.example.com

Mailcow email server

Email domain: example.com
Operating system: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS
Protection: Full

Install the NodePanel agentThe server comes online in your workspace
Install Docker and MailcowTakes 10 to 20 minutes
Request the certificateLet’s Encrypt, for the mail hostname

Create mailboxes in the Mailcow admin once the install finishes.

Illustrative example of a NodePanel workflow.

The deployment

What the Mailcow install covers.

Each list shows what NodePanel does during a Mailcow deployment, or a choice you make before it starts.

Where you can deploy

Create a new server for Mailcow, or use one you already rent.

Create a new server through your connected Vultr account
Add a server from any other provider by its IP address
Run a one-time install command on the server as root
Or give NodePanel root SSH access and let it start the install
Mailcow deployments run on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS x64

The install

One install sets up the NodePanel agent, Docker and Mailcow.

Checks the operating system and memory before it changes anything
On a server you add by IP, also checks that the web and mail ports are free
Installs the NodePanel agent, then Docker and Mailcow
Requests a Let’s Encrypt certificate for the mail hostname
Writes an install log on the server that you can follow

Memory and mail protection

A server with 6 GB of RAM runs Mailcow with full protection.

Full protection runs ClamAV virus scanning, Olefy document scanning and full-text search
A low-memory profile switches those three off on a smaller server
On the low-memory profile, you choose whether Rspamd spam filtering stays on
Rspamd also adds the DKIM signature to outgoing mail
NodePanel shows each mail server’s protection level as full or reduced

In practice

From a fresh server to a working mail server.

Set up DNS before you start the install. Once Mailcow is running, you add your domains and mailboxes in its admin.

Prepare the server and its DNS
Create an A record for the mail hostname, such as mail.example.com, that points at the server’s IP address. Set reverse DNS for that IP to the same hostname. Ask your provider whether outbound port 25 is open, because many block it on new accounts.
Add the server and start the install
Choose the Mailcow Email Server role, then enter the email domain and mail hostname. Run the one-time command on the server as root, or let NodePanel connect and start it. The agent comes online first. Mailcow finishes installing 10 to 20 minutes later.
Create your mailboxes in Mailcow
Open the Mailcow admin from the server’s page in NodePanel and change the default admin password. Add your domains, mailboxes and aliases there. Mailcow lists the DNS records each domain needs, including its DKIM key.

Server management

Your servers, sites and services in one place.

Learn more

Host your clients

Run client websites on your infrastructure.

Learn more

Try NodePanel

Start with one mail server.

Deploy Mailcow on a fresh server and send a test message before you move a client’s email.