Chatmail Relay vs Snikket
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?
Chatmail Relay
Minimal email server tuned for Delta Chat messaging
VS
Snikket
Easy self-hosted XMPP chat for groups
| Feature | Chatmail Relay | Snikket |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Chat & Communication | Social Networks |
| License | MPL-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | Lua |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 476 | ★ 437 |
| First released | 2023 | 2020 |
| Replaces | WhatsApp, Signal | WhatsApp, Signal |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is Chatmail Relay or Snikket better?
Neither is universally better. Chatmail Relay has the larger community, while Snikket is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Chatmail Relay and Snikket free and open-source?
Yes. Chatmail Relay is licensed under MPL-2.0 and Snikket under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Chatmail Relay and Snikket with Docker?
Chatmail Relay: yes. Snikket: yes.