Delta Chat vs SchildiChat
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?
Delta Chat
Decentralized messenger built on top of email
VS
SchildiChat
Element-based Matrix client with extra usability tweaks
| Feature | Delta Chat | SchildiChat |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Chat & Communication | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | MPL-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Rust | Shell |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, binary | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 916 | ★ 465 |
| First released | 2017 | 2020 |
| Replaces | WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram | Slack, WhatsApp |
Why pick each one
Choose SchildiChat if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Shell
Frequently asked questions
Is Delta Chat or SchildiChat better?
Neither is universally better. Delta Chat has the larger community, while SchildiChat is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Delta Chat and SchildiChat free and open-source?
Yes. Delta Chat is licensed under MPL-2.0 and SchildiChat under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Delta Chat and SchildiChat with Docker?
Delta Chat: check the project docs for container support. SchildiChat: yes.