CoyIM vs Synapse
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted matrix & xmpp options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
CoyIM
Secure desktop XMPP client with OTR encryption
VS
Synapse
Reference homeserver for the Matrix network
| Feature | CoyIM | Synapse |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Go | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 615 | ★ 4,503 |
| First released | 2016 | 2014 |
| Replaces | Skype | Slack, Discord, WhatsApp |
Why pick each one
Choose CoyIM if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in Go
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is CoyIM or Synapse better?
Neither is universally better. Synapse has the larger community, while CoyIM is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are CoyIM and Synapse free and open-source?
Yes. CoyIM is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Synapse under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run CoyIM and Synapse with Docker?
CoyIM: check the project docs for container support. Synapse: yes.