Briar vs Session
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
Session
Onion-routed private messenger with no phone number
| Feature | Briar | Session |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Chat & Communication | Chat & Communication |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Java | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | source | bare-metal, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 800 | ★ 546 |
| First released | 2018 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Signal, WhatsApp | Signal, WhatsApp, 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
Choose Session if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Written in TypeScript
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Briar or Session better?
Neither is universally better. Briar has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Briar and Session free and open-source?
Yes. Briar is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Session under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Briar and Session with Docker?
Briar: check the project docs for container support. Session: check the project docs for container support.