Dino vs Sygnal
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?
Dino
Modern XMPP chat client for the desktop
VS
Sygnal
Reference push notification gateway for Matrix
| Feature | Dino | Sygnal |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Vala | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,472 | ★ 192 |
| First released | 2017 | 2016 |
| Replaces | Skype, Slack | Firebase Cloud Messaging |
Why pick each one
Choose Dino if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (2.5k GitHub stars)
- Written in Vala
Choose Sygnal if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Python
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Dino or Sygnal better?
Dino is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Sygnal if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Dino and Sygnal free and open-source?
Yes. Dino is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Sygnal under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Dino and Sygnal with Docker?
Dino: check the project docs for container support. Sygnal: yes.