Briar vs Synapse
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?
Briar
Peer-to-peer encrypted messaging that works offline
VS
Synapse
Reference homeserver for the Matrix network
| Feature | Briar | Synapse |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Chat & Communication | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Java | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 800 | ★ 4,503 |
| First released | 2018 | 2014 |
| Replaces | Signal, WhatsApp | Slack, Discord, WhatsApp |
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 Synapse better?
Neither is universally better. Synapse 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 Synapse free and open-source?
Yes. Briar is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Synapse under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Briar and Synapse with Docker?
Briar: check the project docs for container support. Synapse: yes.