Comm vs Tox
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted chat & communication options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Comm | Tox |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 74 · Good | 86 · Excellent |
| Category | Chat & Communication | Chat & Communication |
| License | BSD-3-Clause | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | C |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 331 | ★ 2,685 |
| First released | 2022 | 2013 |
| Replaces | Discord, Slack | Skype, Discord |
What are Comm and Tox?
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
Tox
Tox is a free, peer-to-peer instant messaging protocol with end-to-end encryption and no central servers. The c-toxcore library is the reference implementation that powers a range of Tox clients.
- Fully peer-to-peer
- End-to-end encryption
- No central servers
- Voice and video calls
Comm vs Tox: key differences
Comm is written in JavaScript, while Tox is built with C. Licensing differs — BSD-3-Clause for Comm versus GPL-3.0 for Tox. Tox is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Comm. Tox is the more established project (first released 2013), while Comm arrived in 2022. Tox has the considerably larger community, at 2,685 GitHub stars versus 331. Comm lists first-class Docker deployment; Tox does not.
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 Tox if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Active community (2.7k GitHub stars)
- Written in C
- Tiny footprint — runs in 64 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Comm or Tox better?
Tox 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 Tox free and open-source?
Yes. Comm is licensed under BSD-3-Clause and Tox under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Comm and Tox with Docker?
Comm: yes. Tox: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Comm or Tox?
Tox 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.