Converse.js vs Zulip
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
Zulip
Threaded team chat that combines email and chat
| Feature | Converse.js | Zulip |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Team Chat |
| License | MPL-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,285 | ★ 25,619 |
| 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 Zulip if…
- Excellent conversation organization
- Strong async workflow
- Fully open source
Frequently asked questions
Is Converse.js or Zulip better?
Neither is universally better. Zulip 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 Zulip free and open-source?
Yes. Converse.js is licensed under MPL-2.0 and Zulip under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Converse.js and Zulip with Docker?
Converse.js: yes. Zulip: yes.