Cusdis 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?
Cusdis
Lightweight, privacy-friendly embeddable comment system
VS
Etherpad
Real-time collaborative document editor
| Feature | Cusdis | Etherpad |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Chat & Communication | Chat & Communication |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,785 | ★ 18,481 |
| First released | 2021 | 2011 |
| Replaces | Disqus | Google Docs |
Why pick each one
Choose Cusdis if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (2.8k GitHub stars)
Frequently asked questions
Is Cusdis or Etherpad better?
Neither is universally better. Etherpad has the larger community, while Cusdis is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Cusdis and Etherpad free and open-source?
Yes. Cusdis is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Etherpad under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Cusdis and Etherpad with Docker?
Cusdis: yes. Etherpad: yes.