Davis vs Radicale: Which Should You Self-Host?

Quick Verdict

Radicale is the simpler choice for personal use — it’s a single Python process with file-based storage that runs on virtually no resources. Davis is the better choice for multi-user environments — it includes a web-based admin dashboard, database-backed storage, and LDAP/IMAP authentication for managed deployments.

Overview

Davis is a PHP-based CalDAV/CardDAV server built on the sabre/dav library. It adds a web-based administration dashboard on top of sabre/dav for managing users, address books, and calendars through a browser. It supports MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQLite backends.

Radicale is a minimal Python CalDAV/CardDAV server designed for simplicity. It stores data as flat files, has minimal dependencies, and is designed to “just work” for individuals and small groups who need calendar and contact sync.

Feature Comparison

Feature	Davis	Radicale
CalDAV (calendars)	Yes	Yes
CardDAV (contacts)	Yes	Yes
Web admin dashboard	Yes — user/resource management	No — config file only
Calendar subscriptions	Yes (WebDAV)	Yes
User management	Web UI + CLI	htpasswd file or PAM
Authentication	Internal, LDAP, IMAP, mail	htpasswd, PAM, LDAP (plugin)
Database backend	MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite	Flat files (filesystem)
Multi-calendar per user	Yes	Yes
Shared calendars	Yes	Yes (with access control)
CalDAV scheduling (iTIP)	Yes	Limited
Storage size	Database-efficient	File per event/contact
License	MIT	GPL-3.0

Installation Complexity

Davis requires a database (MariaDB/PostgreSQL recommended for production, SQLite for testing). The Docker setup includes the app container and database container, plus a one-time database migration command (bin/console doctrine:migrations:migrate). Configuration uses environment variables.

Radicale is a single container with file-based storage. No database, no migrations, no external dependencies. The simplest deployment is one container and one volume. Configuration is a simple .conf file.

Radicale is dramatically simpler to deploy.

Performance and Resource Usage

Resource	Davis	Radicale
RAM (idle)	~50-100 MB (app + database)	~20 MB
CPU	Minimal	Minimal
Disk	~200 MB	~50 MB
Dependencies	PHP, nginx, database	Python only

Both are extremely lightweight. CalDAV/CardDAV servers handle infrequent sync operations, so neither will stress any modern server.

Community and Support

Davis is a smaller project (~300+ GitHub stars) maintained by a single developer. Documentation is focused but not extensive. It serves a niche — users who want sabre/dav with a web admin interface.

Radicale is a well-established project (~3K+ GitHub stars) with years of stability. Documentation is thorough and the project has been reliable for a long time. It’s a common recommendation in the self-hosting community.

Radicale has the larger community and longer track record.

Use Cases

Choose Davis If…

• You need a web dashboard to manage users, calendars, and address books
• You manage calendars for multiple users (family, small org)
• You need LDAP or IMAP authentication (integrate with existing user directory)
• You prefer database-backed storage for reliability and query capability
• You want CalDAV scheduling features (meeting invitations, iTIP)

Choose Radicale If…

• You want the simplest possible CalDAV/CardDAV server
• You’re syncing calendars and contacts for yourself or a small household
• You prefer file-based storage (easy backups — just copy the directory)
• You want minimal resource usage and no external dependencies
• You don’t need a web interface for administration

Final Verdict

For personal use and small households, Radicale is the better choice. It’s simpler to deploy, uses fewer resources, and stores data as plain files that are trivial to back up. There’s no database to manage and nothing that can go wrong.

For managed environments where you need to create and manage users through a web interface, where LDAP integration matters, or where database-backed storage is preferred, Davis is the better fit. The web dashboard eliminates the need to edit config files for routine administration.

Also consider Baikal as a middle ground — it offers a web admin interface like Davis but with a simpler setup.

Related

• How to Self-Host Davis — full setup guide
• How to Self-Host Radicale — full setup guide
• How to Self-Host Baikal — CalDAV/CardDAV with web UI
• Radicale vs Baikal — minimal vs web UI
• Best Self-Hosted Calendar & Contacts — full category roundup
• Docker Compose Basics — prerequisite guide