Berty vs GlobaLeaks
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?
Berty
Peer-to-peer messaging app that works offline
VS
GlobaLeaks
Whistleblowing software enabling anyone to easily set up and maintain
| Feature | Berty | GlobaLeaks |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Chat & Communication | Chat & Communication |
| License | Apache-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 9,268 | ★ 1,509 |
| First released | 2018 | 2026 |
| Replaces | WhatsApp, Signal | — |
Why pick each one
Choose Berty if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- Mature project with 9.3k GitHub stars
- Written in TypeScript
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Choose GlobaLeaks if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (1.5k GitHub stars)
- Written in Python
Frequently asked questions
Is Berty or GlobaLeaks better?
Neither is universally better. Berty has the larger community, while GlobaLeaks is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Berty and GlobaLeaks free and open-source?
Yes. Berty is licensed under Apache-2.0 and GlobaLeaks under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Berty and GlobaLeaks with Docker?
Berty: check the project docs for container support. GlobaLeaks: yes.