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.
Delta Chat
Decentralized messenger built on top of email
| Feature | Briar | Delta Chat |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| 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 | ★ 930 |
| First released | 2018 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Signal, WhatsApp | WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram |
What are Briar and Delta Chat?
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
Delta Chat
Delta Chat is a messaging app that uses standard email servers as its transport, providing chat-like UX with end-to-end encryption. Any IMAP/SMTP mail server can serve as the self-hosted backend.
- Uses existing email infrastructure
- Autocrypt end-to-end encryption
- No phone number required
- Cross-platform clients
Briar vs Delta Chat: key differences
Briar is written in Java, while Delta Chat is built with Rust. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Briar versus MPL-2.0 for Delta Chat. Briar is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Delta Chat.
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 Delta Chat if…
- Leverages decentralized email
- No new server protocol
Watch out for
- Email latency for messages
- Needs an IMAP/SMTP account
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.
Which is lighter on resources, Briar or Delta Chat?
Briar has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Delta Chat. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.