Cinny vs Movim
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted matrix & xmpp options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Cinny | Movim |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 88 · Excellent | 86 · Excellent |
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,903 | ★ 2,055 |
| First released | 2021 | 2010 |
| Replaces | Slack, Discord | Facebook, Slack |
What are Cinny and Movim?
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
Movim
Movim is a federated social networking and instant messaging platform built on the XMPP protocol. It provides a modern web interface for chat, group conversations, and a publish-subscribe news feed.
- XMPP-based federation
- Modern web chat interface
- Built-in blogging and news feed
- OMEMO end-to-end encryption
Cinny vs Movim: key differences
Cinny is written in TypeScript, while Movim is built with PHP. Cinny is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Movim. Movim is the more established project (first released 2010), while Cinny arrived in 2021.
Why pick each one
Choose Cinny if…
- Lightweight to host
- Attractive interface
Watch out for
- Fewer features than Element
- Matrix-only
Choose Movim if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (2.1k GitHub stars)
- Written in PHP
Watch out for
- Requires an XMPP server
- Smaller ecosystem
Frequently asked questions
Is Cinny or Movim better?
Cinny is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Movim if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Cinny and Movim free and open-source?
Yes. Cinny is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Movim under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Cinny and Movim with Docker?
Cinny: yes. Movim: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Cinny or Movim?
Cinny has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Movim. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.