Briar vs Conversations
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted chat & communication options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Briar | Conversations |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | Chat & Communication | Chat & Communication |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Java | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 800 | ★ 3,000 |
| First released | 2018 | 2018 |
| Replaces | Signal, WhatsApp | WhatsApp, Signal |
What are Briar and Conversations?
Briar
Briar is a messaging app designed for activists, journalists, and anyone who needs censorship-resistant communication. Messages sync directly between devices over Tor, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth without central servers.
- Works without internet
- Tor-based message routing
- No central servers
- Censorship resistant
Conversations
Conversations is an open-source XMPP (Jabber) client for Android supporting OMEMO end-to-end encryption, multi-user chats, and file transfer. It works with any standards-compliant XMPP server, including self-hosted ones.
Briar vs Conversations: key differences
Both projects are written in Java. Briar is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Conversations. Conversations has the considerably larger community, at 3,000 GitHub stars versus 800. Conversations lists first-class Docker deployment; Briar does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Briar if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Written in Java
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Choose Conversations if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (3k GitHub stars)
- Written in Java
Frequently asked questions
Is Briar or Conversations better?
Neither is universally better. Conversations has the larger community, while Briar is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Briar and Conversations free and open-source?
Yes. Briar is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Conversations under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Briar and Conversations with Docker?
Briar: check the project docs for container support. Conversations: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Briar or Conversations?
Briar has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Conversations. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.