Commet vs Prose
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted matrix & xmpp options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Commet | Prose |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MPL-2.0 |
| Language | Dart | Vue |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 50 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 100 | ★ 59 |
| First released | 2022 | 2025 |
| Replaces | Discord, Slack | Discord, Facebook Messenger, Signal |
What are Commet and Prose?
Commet
Commet is a Matrix chat client that targets desktop and mobile from a single Flutter codebase. It aims for a familiar messaging experience with support for spaces and end-to-end encryption.
- Flutter cross-platform client
- Spaces support
- End-to-end encryption
- Desktop and mobile
Prose
Prose Web application. XMPP client for team messaging.
Commet vs Prose: key differences
Commet is written in Dart, while Prose is built with Vue. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Commet versus MPL-2.0 for Prose. Prose is the lighter option, starting around 50 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Commet. Commet is the more established project (first released 2022), while Prose arrived in 2025.
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
Choose Prose if…
- Released under the MPL-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in Vue
- Tiny footprint — runs in 50 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Commet or Prose better?
Neither is universally better. Commet has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Commet and Prose free and open-source?
Yes. Commet is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Prose under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Commet and Prose with Docker?
Commet: check the project docs for container support. Prose: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Commet or Prose?
Prose has the smaller minimum footprint at 50 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Commet. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.