Cinny vs Syphon
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted matrix & xmpp options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Cinny | Syphon |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 88 · Excellent | 14 · At risk |
| 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 | ★ 1,059 |
| First released | 2021 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Slack, Discord | WhatsApp, Discord |
What are Cinny and Syphon?
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
Syphon
Syphon is a Matrix messaging client that emphasizes privacy and a calm, distraction-free interface, built with Flutter for desktop and mobile. It supports end-to-end encryption out of the box.
- Privacy-first Matrix client
- End-to-end encryption
- Distraction-free design
- Desktop and mobile
Cinny vs Syphon: key differences
Cinny is written in TypeScript, while Syphon is built with Dart. Cinny is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Syphon. Cinny has the considerably larger community, at 3,904 GitHub stars versus 1,059. Cinny lists first-class Docker deployment; Syphon does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Cinny if…
- Lightweight to host
- Attractive interface
Watch out for
- Fewer features than Element
- Matrix-only
Choose Syphon if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (1.1k GitHub stars)
- Written in Dart
Frequently asked questions
Is Cinny or Syphon 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 Syphon free and open-source?
Yes. Cinny is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Syphon under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Cinny and Syphon with Docker?
Cinny: yes. Syphon: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Cinny or Syphon?
Cinny has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Syphon. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.