Briar vs Delta Chat
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?
Briar
Peer-to-peer encrypted messaging that works offline
VS
Delta Chat
Decentralized messenger built on top of email
| Feature | Briar | Delta Chat |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Chat & Communication | Chat & Communication |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MPL-2.0 |
| Language | Java | Rust |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | source | bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 800 | ★ 916 |
| First released | 2018 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Signal, WhatsApp | WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram |
Why pick each one
Choose Briar if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Written in Java
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Briar or Delta Chat better?
Neither is universally better. Delta Chat has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Briar and Delta Chat free and open-source?
Yes. Briar is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Delta Chat under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Briar and Delta Chat with Docker?
Briar: check the project docs for container support. Delta Chat: check the project docs for container support.