ejabberd vs Fractal
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted matrix & xmpp options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | ejabberd | Fractal |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | GPL-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Erlang | Rust |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 6,732 | ★ 900 |
| First released | 2002 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Slack, WhatsApp | Slack, Discord |
What are ejabberd and Fractal?
ejabberd
ejabberd is a robust and scalable XMPP server powering instant messaging, presence, and real-time communication. It targets operators running large messaging deployments. It is deployed via Docker or native packages.
- Highly scalable XMPP server
- Clustering support
- Many extension modules
- MQTT and SIP support
Fractal
Fractal is a Matrix client designed for the GNOME desktop and written in Rust with GTK. It supports end-to-end encryption, multiple accounts, and integrates cleanly with the GNOME ecosystem.
- GNOME-native GTK interface
- End-to-end encryption
- Multi-account support
- Adaptive layout
ejabberd vs Fractal: key differences
Ejabberd is written in Erlang, while Fractal is built with Rust. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for ejabberd versus GPL-3.0 for Fractal. Fractal is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for ejabberd. Ejabberd is the more established project (first released 2002), while Fractal arrived in 2017. Ejabberd has the considerably larger community, at 6,732 GitHub stars versus 900. Ejabberd lists first-class Docker deployment; Fractal does not.
Why pick each one
Choose ejabberd if…
- Extremely scalable
- Battle-tested
- Standards-based
Watch out for
- XMPP UX depends on clients
- Advanced config is complex
Choose Fractal if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in Rust
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is ejabberd or Fractal better?
Neither is universally better. ejabberd has the larger community, while Fractal is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are ejabberd and Fractal free and open-source?
Yes. ejabberd is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Fractal under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run ejabberd and Fractal with Docker?
ejabberd: yes. Fractal: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, ejabberd or Fractal?
Fractal has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for ejabberd. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.