7 Best MailHog Alternatives for 2026

MailHog was the go-to local email testing tool for years. But its last release was in 2020, and it hasn't seen a commit since. If you're looking for a MailHog alternative that's actively maintained, here are the best options in 2026.

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Why look for a MailHog alternative?

MailHog still works. It captures SMTP emails and shows them in a web UI at localhost:8025. The problem is:

• Last release: 2020 — No updates in 5+ years
• Open issues piling up — 100+ issues with no response
• No modern features — No TLS, no email searching, no tagging
• Security concerns — Unpatched dependencies

If you're starting a new project, there's no reason to pick an abandoned tool when better alternatives exist.

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1. Mailpit

The direct replacement. Mailpit was built specifically as a modern MailHog alternative. It's written in Go, uses almost the same API, and is significantly faster.

Install:

# macOS
brew install mailpit

# Docker
docker run -p 1025:1025 -p 8025:8025 axllent/mailpit

# Or download binary from GitHub

Why choose Mailpit:

• Drop-in MailHog replacement (same ports, compatible API)
• Actively maintained with regular releases
• Full-text search, email tagging, link checking
• HTML/plain text/source view with syntax highlighting
• ~3x faster than MailHog in benchmarks

Tradeoffs:

• Still requires installation (Docker, brew, or binary)
• Local only — no cloud sandbox for CI/staging
• No path to production email sending

Best for: Teams replacing MailHog who want minimal migration effort.

Mailpit on GitHub

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2. SendPigeon CLI

Zero install, same SDK from dev to production. SendPigeon CLI runs a local SMTP server via npx — no Docker, no brew, no binary downloads. The key difference from other tools: your code uses the same SendPigeon SDK in development and production. Switch from local capture to real sending by changing one environment variable.

Install:

npx @sendpigeon-sdk/cli dev

That's it. Local SMTP on localhost:4125, web UI at localhost:4100.

Why choose SendPigeon CLI:

• Zero installation — runs via npx, no setup
• Same SDK for dev and production (just change env var)
• Cloud sandbox option for CI/staging (test API keys capture emails in dashboard)
• No Docker, Ruby, or Go dependencies
• SDKs for TypeScript, Python, Go, and PHP

Tradeoffs:

• Requires Node.js/npx
• No API for captured emails (yet)
• Newer tool, smaller community than Mailpit

Best for: Teams who want zero-install setup and a unified dev-to-production workflow.

SendPigeon CLI docs

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3. Mailtrap

Cloud-based email sandbox. Mailtrap is different from the other tools here — it's a hosted service, not a local tool. You point your SMTP config to Mailtrap's servers and emails are captured in their web dashboard.

Setup:

// Point SMTP to Mailtrap's servers
const transport = nodemailer.createTransport({
  host: "sandbox.smtp.mailtrap.io",
  port: 2525,
  auth: { user: "your_username", pass: "your_password" },
});

Why choose Mailtrap:

• No local setup needed
• Team collaboration (shared inboxes)
• Spam analysis and HTML/CSS checks
• Also offers production email sending

Tradeoffs:

• Requires internet connection
• Free sandbox plan limited to 50 test emails
• Paid sandbox plans start at $14.99/month, sending plans from $10/month
• Your email content goes through a third-party server

Best for: Teams who want cloud-based testing with collaboration features.

Mailtrap website

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4. MailCatcher

Lightweight Ruby gem. MailCatcher has been around even longer than MailHog. It's minimal, works well, and is still actively maintained.

Install:

gem install mailcatcher
mailcatcher

SMTP on localhost:1025, web UI at localhost:1080.

Why choose MailCatcher:

• Lightweight and minimal
• Still actively maintained
• Simple API for programmatic access
• Clean, straightforward UI

Tradeoffs:

• Requires Ruby installed
• Fewer features than Mailpit
• No production path

Best for: Ruby developers or teams who already have Ruby in their stack.

MailCatcher website

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5. MailCrab

Rust-based, fast. MailCrab is a newer tool written in Rust with a modern web interface built with Yew (a Rust-based frontend framework).

Install:

# Docker
docker run -p 1080:1080 -p 1025:1025 marlonb/mailcrab

# Or install via cargo
cargo install mailcrab

Why choose MailCrab:

• Very fast (Rust)
• Modern, clean UI
• Low memory usage
• Docker-friendly

Tradeoffs:

• Smaller community
• Fewer features than Mailpit
• Requires Docker or Rust toolchain

Best for: Teams who want a lightweight, fast alternative and are comfortable with Docker.

MailCrab on GitHub

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6. smtp4dev

Windows-friendly. smtp4dev runs as a .NET application with a web UI. It's been around since 2010 and is particularly popular with .NET developers.

Install:

# Docker
docker run -p 3000:80 -p 25:25 rnwood/smtp4dev

# Or install as .NET tool
dotnet tool install -g Rnwood.Smtp4dev

Why choose smtp4dev:

• Works well on Windows
• .NET native
• IMAP server included
• Long track record

Tradeoffs:

• Heavier than other options
• .NET dependency
• UI feels dated compared to Mailpit or MailCrab

Best for: .NET developers on Windows.

smtp4dev on GitHub

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7. Ethereal

Disposable test accounts. Ethereal is different — it's a free fake SMTP service by the Nodemailer team. No installation, no local server. You get throwaway SMTP credentials and a web UI to view captured emails.

Setup:

// Create a test account
const testAccount = await nodemailer.createTestAccount();

const transport = nodemailer.createTransport({
  host: "smtp.ethereal.email",
  port: 587,
  auth: { user: testAccount.user, pass: testAccount.pass },
});

Why choose Ethereal:

• No installation at all
• Works from any language via SMTP
• Free, no account needed
• Built by the Nodemailer team

Tradeoffs:

• Requires internet connection
• Temporary accounts (emails may expire)
• No local capture
• Basic UI

Best for: Quick throwaway testing without any setup.

Ethereal website

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Quick comparison table

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Which should you choose?

Replacing MailHog with minimal changes? → Mailpit. Same ports, compatible API, drop-in replacement.

Want zero install and a path to production? → SendPigeon CLI. One npx command for local testing, same SDK sends real emails in production.

Need cloud-based testing for teams? → Mailtrap. Hosted sandbox with collaboration features.

Already have Ruby? → MailCatcher. Simple, lightweight, still maintained.

Want speed and low memory? → MailCrab. Rust-based, fast, modern UI.

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FAQ

Is MailHog still maintained?

No. MailHog's last release was in 2020 and the repository has had no meaningful activity since. It still works for basic SMTP capture, but it won't receive security patches or new features.

What is the best drop-in replacement for MailHog?

Mailpit. It uses the same default ports (SMTP 1025, Web UI 8025) and has a MailHog-compatible API, so most configurations work without changes.

Can I use the same tool for development and production?

SendPigeon is the only option in this list that offers both local email testing and production email sending through the same SDK. Set SENDPIGEON_DEV=true for local capture, remove it for production sending.

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Related

• SendPigeon vs MailHog — Detailed feature comparison
• SendPigeon vs MailCatcher — Detailed feature comparison
• Local Email Testing Guide — Full setup for SendPigeon CLI
• Email Deliverability Checklist — Make sure your emails reach the inbox