Converse.js vs Ergo
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?
Converse.js
Web-based XMPP/Jabber chat client
VS
Ergo
Modern IRC server with IRCv3 and bouncer features
| Feature | Converse.js | Ergo |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Chat & Communication |
| License | MPL-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | JavaScript | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,285 | ★ 3,288 |
| First released | 2013 | 2016 |
| Replaces | Slack | Slack, Discord |
Why pick each one
Choose Converse.js if…
- Released under the MPL-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (3.3k GitHub stars)
Frequently asked questions
Is Converse.js or Ergo better?
Neither is universally better. Ergo has the larger community, while Converse.js is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Converse.js and Ergo free and open-source?
Yes. Converse.js is licensed under MPL-2.0 and Ergo under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Converse.js and Ergo with Docker?
Converse.js: yes. Ergo: yes.