3CX vs Etherpad
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted chat & communication options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
3CX
Full-featured PABX system, with call queues, built-in web
VS
Etherpad
Real-time collaborative document editor
| Feature | 3CX | Etherpad |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Chat & Communication | Chat & Communication |
| License | ⊘ Proprietary | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Unknown | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | — | ★ 18,481 |
| First released | 2020 | 2011 |
| Replaces | — | Google Docs |
Why pick each one
Choose 3CX if…
- Released under the ⊘ Proprietary license
- Written in Unknown
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is 3CX or Etherpad better?
Neither is universally better. Etherpad has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are 3CX and Etherpad free and open-source?
Yes. 3CX is licensed under ⊘ Proprietary and Etherpad under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run 3CX and Etherpad with Docker?
3CX: check the project docs for container support. Etherpad: yes.