Comm vs Etherpad
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?
Comm
E2E-encrypted personal-server messaging app
VS
Etherpad
Real-time collaborative document editor
| Feature | Comm | Etherpad |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Chat & Communication | Chat & Communication |
| License | BSD-3-Clause | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 331 | ★ 18,481 |
| First released | 2022 | 2011 |
| Replaces | Discord, Slack | Google Docs |
Why pick each one
Choose Comm if…
- Released under the BSD-3-Clause license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in JavaScript
Frequently asked questions
Is Comm or Etherpad better?
Etherpad 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 Etherpad free and open-source?
Yes. Comm is licensed under BSD-3-Clause and Etherpad under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Comm and Etherpad with Docker?
Comm: yes. Etherpad: yes.