Toxic vs Dino
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted apps from related categories — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Toxic
Terminal-based client for the Tox messaging network
VS
Dino
Modern XMPP chat client for the desktop
| Feature | Toxic | Dino |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Chat & Communication | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | C | Vala |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,301 | ★ 2,472 |
| First released | 2014 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Skype, WhatsApp | Skype, Slack |
Why pick each one
Choose Toxic if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Active community (1.3k GitHub stars)
- Written in C
- Tiny footprint — runs in 64 MB RAM
Choose Dino if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (2.5k GitHub stars)
- Written in Vala
Frequently asked questions
Is Toxic or Dino better?
Dino is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Toxic if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Toxic and Dino free and open-source?
Yes. Toxic is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Dino under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Toxic and Dino with Docker?
Toxic: check the project docs for container support. Dino: check the project docs for container support.