Cinny vs Commet
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted matrix & xmpp options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Cinny | Commet |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Dart |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,904 | ★ 100 |
| First released | 2021 | 2022 |
| Replaces | Slack, Discord | Discord, Slack |
What are Cinny and Commet?
Cinny
Cinny is a Matrix client focused on a clean, simple and modern user interface. It can be self-hosted as a static web app to connect to any Matrix homeserver.
- Clean and minimal UI
- End-to-end encryption
- Static web app deployment
- Desktop builds available
Commet
Commet is a Matrix chat client that targets desktop and mobile from a single Flutter codebase. It aims for a familiar messaging experience with support for spaces and end-to-end encryption.
- Flutter cross-platform client
- Spaces support
- End-to-end encryption
- Desktop and mobile
Cinny vs Commet: key differences
Cinny is written in TypeScript, while Commet is built with Dart. Cinny is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Commet. Cinny has the considerably larger community, at 3,904 GitHub stars versus 100. Cinny lists first-class Docker deployment; Commet does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Cinny if…
- Lightweight to host
- Attractive interface
Watch out for
- Fewer features than Element
- Matrix-only
Choose Commet if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in Dart
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Cinny or Commet better?
Neither is universally better. Cinny has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Cinny and Commet free and open-source?
Yes. Cinny is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Commet under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Cinny and Commet with Docker?
Cinny: yes. Commet: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Cinny or Commet?
Cinny has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Commet. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.