Commet vs Tinode
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted matrix & xmpp options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Commet
Cross-platform Matrix client built with Flutter
VS
Tinode
Open-source instant messaging server
| Feature | Commet | Tinode |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Dart | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 100 | ★ 13,452 |
| First released | 2022 | 2016 |
| Replaces | Discord, Slack | WhatsApp, Slack |
Why pick each one
Choose Commet if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in Dart
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Commet or Tinode better?
Neither is universally better. Tinode has the larger community, while Commet is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Commet and Tinode free and open-source?
Yes. Commet is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Tinode under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Commet and Tinode with Docker?
Commet: check the project docs for container support. Tinode: yes.