Centrifugo vs Bonfire
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?
Centrifugo
Scalable real-time messaging server for apps and websites
VS
Bonfire
Federated social networking toolkit for communities
| Feature | Centrifugo | Bonfire |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Chat & Communication | Chat & Communication |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Go | Elixir |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes, binary | docker, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 10,590 | ★ 930 |
| First released | 2015 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Pusher, Firebase Realtime Database | Facebook Groups, Discord |
Why pick each one
Choose Bonfire if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Elixir
Frequently asked questions
Is Centrifugo or Bonfire better?
Centrifugo is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Bonfire if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Centrifugo and Bonfire free and open-source?
Yes. Centrifugo is licensed under MIT and Bonfire under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Centrifugo and Bonfire with Docker?
Centrifugo: yes. Bonfire: yes.