Centrifugo vs Heisenbridge
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
Heisenbridge
Bouncer-style Matrix to IRC bridge
| Feature | Centrifugo | Heisenbridge |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Chat & Communication | Chat & Communication |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | Go | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes, binary | docker, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 10,590 | ★ 309 |
| First released | 2015 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Pusher, Firebase Realtime Database | ZNC |
Why pick each one
Choose Heisenbridge if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Python
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Centrifugo or Heisenbridge better?
Neither is universally better. Centrifugo has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Centrifugo and Heisenbridge free and open-source?
Yes. Centrifugo is licensed under MIT and Heisenbridge under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Centrifugo and Heisenbridge with Docker?
Centrifugo: yes. Heisenbridge: yes.