Briar vs Prose
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted apps from related categories — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
| Feature | Briar | Prose |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Chat & Communication | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MPL-2.0 |
| Language | Java | Vue |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 50 MB |
| Deployment | source | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 800 | ★ 58 |
| First released | 2018 | 2025 |
| Replaces | Signal, WhatsApp | Discord, Facebook Messenger, Signal |
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 Prose if…
- Released under the MPL-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in Vue
- Tiny footprint — runs in 50 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Briar or Prose better?
Neither is universally better. Briar has the larger community, while Prose is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Briar and Prose free and open-source?
Yes. Briar is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Prose under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Briar and Prose with Docker?
Briar: check the project docs for container support. Prose: check the project docs for container support.