Conversations vs qTox
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted chat & communication options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Conversations | qTox |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Status | Actively maintained | Archived |
| Category | Chat & Communication | Chat & Communication |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Java | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,000 | ★ 4,976 |
| First released | 2018 | 2014 |
| Replaces | WhatsApp, Signal | Skype, WhatsApp |
What are Conversations and qTox?
Conversations
Conversations is an open-source XMPP (Jabber) client for Android supporting OMEMO end-to-end encryption, multi-user chats, and file transfer. It works with any standards-compliant XMPP server, including self-hosted ones.
qTox
qTox is a Qt-based client for the Tox protocol, a fully distributed, encrypted, peer-to-peer communication network. It supports text chat, file transfer, voice, and video without any central servers.
- Fully peer-to-peer, no servers
- End-to-end encryption
- Voice and video calls
- File transfer
Conversations vs qTox: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: qTox's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Conversations is actively maintained. Conversations is written in Java, while qTox is built with C++. QTox is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Conversations. QTox is the more established project (first released 2014), while Conversations arrived in 2018. Conversations lists first-class Docker deployment; qTox does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Conversations if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (3k GitHub stars)
- Written in Java
Choose qTox if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Active community (5k GitHub stars)
- Written in C++
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Watch out for
- No offline messaging
- Project development has slowed
Frequently asked questions
Is Conversations or qTox better?
qTox is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider qTox if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Conversations and qTox free and open-source?
Yes. Conversations is licensed under GPL-3.0 and qTox under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Conversations and qTox with Docker?
Conversations: yes. qTox: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Conversations or qTox?
qTox has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Conversations. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.