Chatmail Relay vs Wesh Network
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted chat & communication options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Chatmail Relay | Wesh Network |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 79 · Good | 56 · Fair |
| Category | Chat & Communication | Chat & Communication |
| License | MPL-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Python | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 484 | ★ 251 |
| First released | 2023 | 2022 |
| Replaces | WhatsApp, Signal | Signal, WhatsApp |
What are Chatmail Relay and Wesh Network?
Chatmail Relay
A minimal, opinionated mail server configuration optimized to act as a relay for Delta Chat clients, providing instant, encrypted messaging over standard email. It is provisioned automatically for low-maintenance operation.
- Email-based messaging
- Automatic provisioning
- End-to-end encryption
- Low maintenance
Wesh Network
Wesh Network is the peer-to-peer protocol toolkit powering Berty, providing end-to-end encrypted, asynchronous messaging that works without central servers or phone numbers. It can be self-hosted as relay infrastructure.
- Peer-to-peer encrypted messaging protocol
- Works without central servers
- No phone number required
Chatmail Relay vs Wesh Network: key differences
Chatmail Relay is written in Python, while Wesh Network is built with Go. Licensing differs — MPL-2.0 for Chatmail Relay versus Apache-2.0 for Wesh Network. Wesh Network is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Chatmail Relay. Chatmail Relay lists first-class Docker deployment; Wesh Network does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Chatmail Relay if…
- Uses open email standards
- Hard to censor
Watch out for
- Requires mail server knowledge
- Newer project
Choose Wesh Network if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- Written in Go
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Chatmail Relay or Wesh Network better?
Chatmail Relay is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Wesh Network if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Chatmail Relay and Wesh Network free and open-source?
Yes. Chatmail Relay is licensed under MPL-2.0 and Wesh Network under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Chatmail Relay and Wesh Network with Docker?
Chatmail Relay: yes. Wesh Network: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Chatmail Relay or Wesh Network?
Wesh Network has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Chatmail Relay. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.