Cusdis vs SimpleX Chat
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
SimpleX Chat
Private messenger without any user identifiers
| Feature | Cusdis | SimpleX Chat |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Chat & Communication | Chat & Communication |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Haskell |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | docker, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,785 | ★ 19,211 |
| First released | 2021 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Disqus | Signal, WhatsApp, Telegram |
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 SimpleX Chat better?
Neither is universally better. SimpleX Chat 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 SimpleX Chat free and open-source?
Yes. Cusdis is licensed under GPL-3.0 and SimpleX Chat under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Cusdis and SimpleX Chat with Docker?
Cusdis: yes. SimpleX Chat: yes.