RainLoop: Lightweight Webmail That Doesn’t Feel Like a Relic
There’s something refreshing about RainLoop. It’s not trying to be a collaboration suite. It’s not trying to replace Gmail. It just gives users a clean, fast webmail interface — with zero database dependencies and minimal setup.
Compared to heavier options like Roundcube, RainLoop feels snappier out of the box. The UI is more modern, with responsive design and fewer reloads. And even though it’s lightweight, it still checks the boxes: IMAP, SMTP, contact integration, external login providers — it’s all there.
For admins who just want to give users a sane way to check their mail from the browser — without dragging in a whole stack of services — RainLoop makes a lot of sense.
RainLoop in Practice
| Feature | Why It’s Useful |
| IMAP & SMTP Support | Connects to any standard mail server (Dovecot, Gmail, etc.) |
| No Database Needed | Stores config in flat files — great for simple, portable setups |
| Clean Web UI | Fast-loading interface with a modern look and good mobile support |
| Multiple Accounts | Add multiple mailboxes per session — unified inbox optional |
| External Auth | Supports Google, Facebook, or LDAP logins |
| Contact Integration | Built-in address book + CardDAV support |
| OpenPGP Plugin | Encrypt/sign mail with browser-side PGP (if enabled) |
| Theme and Branding | Easy to customize logos, colors, login page |
| Low Resource Usage | Runs well on shared hosting or small VPS |
| Admin Panel | Web-based control for domains, access, and config |
Where It Fits Well
RainLoop is perfect for minimal mail stacks. It shines when:
– Running a self-hosted Postfix/Dovecot setup and want simple webmail
– Replacing Roundcube for something faster and cleaner
– Offering branded webmail to clients (shared hosting, panels, etc.)
– Managing mailboxes on internal LANs or test environments
– You want something easy to drop into NGINX or Apache without extra services
It’s not groupware. There’s no calendar, no tasks. And that’s fine. It does email — and does it well.
How to Install (NGINX-friendly Setup)
1. Download latest community edition
→ https://www.rainloop.net/downloads/
2. Unpack to your web root
unzip rainloop-community-latest.zip
mv rainloop /var/www/html/
3. Set permissions and ownership
chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/html/rainloop
4. Point NGINX or Apache to /rainloop/
For NGINX, be sure to enable index.php and pass fastcgi.
5. Open web browser
Visit http://yourdomain/rainloop/?admin
Default login: admin / 12345
(Change this immediately.)
6. Configure domains
Set IMAP/SMTP servers, ports, security (STARTTLS, SSL), login pattern.
That’s it. It’s now serving clean, usable webmail with no DB and very little overhead.
Some Honest Notes
– UI feels closer to Gmail than Roundcube — instant load, no full page refreshes
– No database means backups are easy — just archive the data directory
– Plugin system is limited but covers essentials (PGP, contacts, themes)
– Works well on shared hosting — or in Docker if you prefer containers
– Admin panel is fast but not super granular — more suited to small setups
– Updates are manual — check for new versions regularly
RainLoop won’t win design awards, and it won’t replace Outlook. But for teams or users who just want fast, no-nonsense webmail that respects server resources — it hits a very comfortable middle ground.
