Campfire vs Loomio

A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted social networks options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.

Not the right match-up?
FeatureCampfireLoomio
CategorySocial NetworksSocial Networks
LicensefreeAGPL-3.0
LanguageRubyRuby
Setup difficultyEasyMedium
Min. RAM512 MB512 MB
Deploymentdocker, one-clickdocker
GitHub stars★ 4,471★ 2,588
First released20222026
Replaces

Why pick each one

Choose Campfire if…

  • Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
  • First-class Docker support for quick deployment
  • One-click install on common self-host platforms
  • Active community (4.5k GitHub stars)
Campfire details

Choose Loomio if…

  • Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
  • First-class Docker support for quick deployment
  • Active community (2.6k GitHub stars)
  • Written in Ruby
Loomio details

Frequently asked questions

Is Campfire or Loomio better?

Campfire is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Loomio if its specific feature set fits your needs better.

Are Campfire and Loomio free and open-source?

Yes. Campfire is licensed under free and Loomio under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Campfire and Loomio with Docker?

Campfire: yes. Loomio: yes.

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