Comm vs Ergo
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted chat & communication options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Ergo
Modern IRC server with IRCv3 and bouncer features
| Feature | Comm | Ergo |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 74 · Good | 88 · Excellent |
| Category | Chat & Communication | Chat & Communication |
| License | BSD-3-Clause | MIT |
| Language | JavaScript | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | docker, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 331 | ★ 3,333 |
| First released | 2022 | 2016 |
| Replaces | Discord, Slack | Slack, Discord |
What are Comm and Ergo?
Comm
Comm is an open-source messaging app focused on a personal server model where users can host their own Comm node. It provides end-to-end encryption and is designed for communities and small groups.
- Personal server model
- End-to-end encryption
- Native mobile apps
- Community-oriented
Ergo
Ergo, formerly known as Oragono, is a modern IRC server written in Go that combines an IRCd with bouncer-like features. It supports IRCv3, has built-in account management, and stores message history.
- Full IRCv3 support
- Built-in account registration
- Persistent message history
- Single binary deployment
Comm vs Ergo: key differences
Comm is written in JavaScript, while Ergo is built with Go. Licensing differs — BSD-3-Clause for Comm versus MIT for Ergo. Ergo is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Comm. Ergo is the more established project (first released 2016), while Comm arrived in 2022. Ergo has the considerably larger community, at 3,333 GitHub stars versus 331.
Why pick each one
Choose Comm if…
- Released under the BSD-3-Clause license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in JavaScript
Choose Ergo if…
- No external services needed
- Easy to run
Watch out for
- IRC protocol limitations
- No web UI included
Frequently asked questions
Is Comm or Ergo better?
Ergo is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Comm if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Comm and Ergo free and open-source?
Yes. Comm is licensed under BSD-3-Clause and Ergo under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Comm and Ergo with Docker?
Comm: yes. Ergo: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Comm or Ergo?
Ergo has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Comm. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.