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Roundcube Hosting
Access IMAP email through a familiar browser-based mail client with contacts and plugins.
No setup fees-
One click deploy -
1 GB RAM Memory needed -
15 GB Disk Space Needed -
From 2 € Price
Official links
Roundcube’s official links and original website
Roundcube Website
More
Tech
- Docker image
- roundcube/roundcubemail:latest
- Default port
- 80
- Database
- postgres
How Roundcube works
Roundcube signs users into an existing IMAP mailbox and renders messages through a browser interface. Folder operations, searches, flags, drafts, contacts, and message views are performed against the connected mail system, while a separate SMTP service is normally used for outgoing delivery. The application is therefore a client, not a complete mail server or mailbox provider.
PostgreSQL stores Roundcube preferences, address-book data, caches, and other application records. Mail messages remain on the external IMAP service. The catalogue template contains placeholder IMAP and SMTP hostnames, so a functioning installation still depends on valid external mail-system details and compatible authentication settings.
Key Roundcube features
The web interface supports MIME messages, folders, message search, address books, attachments, and browser-based composition. Users can access the same mailbox from a computer that does not have a desktop mail client configured, provided the remote IMAP service permits the connection.
Roundcube also has a plugin ecosystem and configurable themes, but those extensions are not automatically part of the catalogue deployment. Compatibility varies across mail servers and authentication policies. Test login, folders, message rendering, attachment downloads, and any required plugins before presenting the interface to a larger user group.
Who uses Roundcube
Mail providers, hosting teams, schools, and small organisations use Roundcube as a familiar web front end for accounts hosted elsewhere. It can offer a branded browser address alongside desktop and mobile clients that continue connecting directly to the same IMAP mailbox.
The hosted template is not suitable for someone who expects the webmail application to create an email domain, issue mailbox credentials, or deliver outbound mail. Those functions belong to the external mail infrastructure. Without valid IMAP settings, there is no mailbox to display; without an available SMTP path, the interface cannot send messages.
Self-hosting Roundcube: requirements and cost
Workload is influenced by concurrent webmail users, mailbox searches, attachment handling, address-book size, and the responsiveness of the external IMAP service. PostgreSQL supports application preferences and caches rather than storing the underlying mailbox. It is provisioned with Roundcube but remains unmanaged, and its memory sits outside the exported application requirement.
AvaHost maps Roundcube to Plan 2 at €5. One-click deployment, a custom webmail domain, automated HTTPS, automatic application updates, and scheduled backups are included. Application email is disabled, so outbound SMTP sending is unavailable; the custom domain identifies the Roundcube interface and does not create or host mailboxes.
F.A.Q
Roundcube starts at €5 on Plan 2 after accounting for the included PostgreSQL container. The plan hosts the browser interface and its application data, not a mailbox service. User count, mailbox searches, attachment activity, address-book size, and the performance of the external IMAP system influence whether more resources are required.
PostgreSQL stores Roundcube preferences, address books, caches, and related application records. The actual messages stay on the external IMAP server. AvaHost provisions PostgreSQL with the application but leaves it unmanaged, so administrators should protect its data while separately maintaining the mail server that owns mailbox contents and user authentication.
The web interface can use a custom domain with automated HTTPS once DNS points to the hosted application. That address is only the browser entry point; it does not create email addresses, DNS mail records, or mailbox accounts. Configure and test the external IMAP service separately before distributing the webmail URL to users.
No outbound SMTP service is available in this hosted configuration because AvaHost disables application email. Roundcube also does not create mailboxes. It can serve as a browser interface for an existing compatible IMAP account after the remote server details are configured, but users should not expect AvaHost to provide mail delivery or account provisioning.