Convos vs Nheko
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted matrix & xmpp options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Convos | Nheko |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 79 · Good | 77 · Good |
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | Artistic-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Perl | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,191 | ★ 2,496 |
| First released | 2012 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Slack, IRCCloud | Slack, Discord |
What are Convos and Nheko?
Convos
Convos is a self-hosted, always-online IRC client with a web interface that keeps you connected and logs conversations while you are away. It supports multiple networks and notifications.
- Always-online IRC
- Web interface
- Multi-network support
- Conversation logging
Nheko
Nheko is a free desktop client for the Matrix protocol built with Qt and C++. It supports end-to-end encryption, voice and video calls, and a clean native interface across Linux, Windows, and macOS.
- Native Qt interface
- End-to-end encryption
- Voice and video calls
- Low resource usage
Convos vs Nheko: key differences
Convos is written in Perl, while Nheko is built with C++. Licensing differs — Artistic-2.0 for Convos versus GPL-3.0 for Nheko. Convos is the more established project (first released 2012), while Nheko arrived in 2017. Nheko has the considerably larger community, at 2,496 GitHub stars versus 1,191. Convos lists first-class Docker deployment; Nheko does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Convos if…
- Stays connected for you
- Simple to deploy
Watch out for
- IRC only
- No voice or video
Choose Nheko if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (2.5k GitHub stars)
- Written in C++
Frequently asked questions
Is Convos or Nheko better?
Neither is universally better. Nheko has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Convos and Nheko free and open-source?
Yes. Convos is licensed under Artistic-2.0 and Nheko under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Convos and Nheko with Docker?
Convos: yes. Nheko: check the project docs for container support.