Comm vs The Lounge
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted chat & communication options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Comm | The Lounge |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 74 · Good | 91 · Excellent |
| Category | Chat & Communication | Chat & Communication |
| License | BSD-3-Clause | MIT |
| Language | JavaScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | docker, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 331 | ★ 6,336 |
| First released | 2022 | 2014 |
| Replaces | Discord, Slack | IRCCloud, Slack |
What are Comm and The Lounge?
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
The Lounge
The Lounge is a modern web-based IRC client that you host yourself, staying always connected and synchronizing across devices. It offers a responsive interface accessible from any browser.
- Always-on IRC connection
- Synchronized multi-device experience
- Responsive web and mobile UI
- Push notifications
Comm vs The Lounge: key differences
Comm is written in JavaScript, while The Lounge is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — BSD-3-Clause for Comm versus MIT for The Lounge. The Lounge is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Comm. The Lounge is the more established project (first released 2014), while Comm arrived in 2022. The Lounge has the considerably larger community, at 6,336 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 The Lounge if…
- Great IRC experience in the browser
- Multi-user support
Watch out for
- IRC-only
- No built-in voice or video
Frequently asked questions
Is Comm or The Lounge better?
The Lounge is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Comm if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Comm and The Lounge free and open-source?
Yes. Comm is licensed under BSD-3-Clause and The Lounge under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Comm and The Lounge with Docker?
Comm: yes. The Lounge: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Comm or The Lounge?
The Lounge has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Comm. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.