Converse.js vs Rocket.Chat
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
Rocket.Chat
Open-source team chat and collaboration platform
| Feature | Converse.js | Rocket.Chat |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Team Chat |
| License | MPL-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | JavaScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, snap, kubernetes |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,285 | ★ 45,947 |
| First released | 2013 | 2015 |
| Replaces | Slack | Slack, Microsoft Teams |
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)
Choose Rocket.Chat if…
- Feature-rich Slack alternative
- Strong integrations
- Self-hostable
Frequently asked questions
Is Converse.js or Rocket.Chat better?
Neither is universally better. Rocket.Chat 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 Rocket.Chat free and open-source?
Yes. Converse.js is licensed under MPL-2.0 and Rocket.Chat under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Converse.js and Rocket.Chat with Docker?
Converse.js: yes. Rocket.Chat: yes.