Centrifugo vs Kamailio
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
Kamailio
High-performance SIP server for VoIP infrastructure
| Feature | Centrifugo | Kamailio |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Chat & Communication | Chat & Communication |
| License | MIT | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | Go | C |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes, binary | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 10,590 | ★ 2,899 |
| First released | 2015 | 2008 |
| Replaces | Pusher, Firebase Realtime Database | Twilio |
Why pick each one
Choose Kamailio if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (2.9k GitHub stars)
- Written in C
Frequently asked questions
Is Centrifugo or Kamailio better?
Centrifugo is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Kamailio if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Centrifugo and Kamailio free and open-source?
Yes. Centrifugo is licensed under MIT and Kamailio under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Centrifugo and Kamailio with Docker?
Centrifugo: yes. Kamailio: yes.