Mumble Web vs Miaou
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted chat & communication options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Mumble Web | Miaou |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 15 · At risk | 65 · Good |
| Category | Chat & Communication | Chat & Communication |
| License | ISC | MIT |
| Language | JavaScript | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 738 | ★ 553 |
| First released | 2017 | 2014 |
| Replaces | Discord, TeamSpeak | Discord, Slack |
What are Mumble Web and Miaou?
Mumble Web
Mumble Web is a browser-based client that connects to Mumble voice servers over WebSocket, removing the need for a native client. It brings Mumble voice chat to any device with a browser.
- Browser access to Mumble
- No native client needed
- Works on mobile browsers
- Lightweight WebSocket bridge
Miaou
Miaou is a real-time chat server geared toward developer communities, with markdown formatting, syntax-highlighted code blocks, polls, and per-room moderation. It is the software behind the public Miaou chat used by Rust developers.
- Markdown and code-block friendly chat
- Multi-room with moderation
- OAuth login support
- Popular with developer communities
Mumble Web vs Miaou: key differences
Both projects are written in JavaScript. Licensing differs — ISC for Mumble Web versus MIT for Miaou. Mumble Web is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Miaou. Miaou is the more established project (first released 2014), while Mumble Web arrived in 2017. Mumble Web lists first-class Docker deployment; Miaou does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Mumble Web if…
- Released under the ISC license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in JavaScript
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Watch out for
- Requires a Murmur server
- Voice quality depends on browser
Choose Miaou if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Written in JavaScript
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Mumble Web or Miaou better?
Neither is universally better. Mumble Web has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Mumble Web and Miaou free and open-source?
Yes. Mumble Web is licensed under ISC and Miaou under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Mumble Web and Miaou with Docker?
Mumble Web: yes. Miaou: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Mumble Web or Miaou?
Mumble Web has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Miaou. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.