ejabberd vs Syphon
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted matrix & xmpp options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
ejabberd
Robust, scalable XMPP messaging server
VS
Syphon
Privacy-focused Matrix client built with Flutter
| Feature | ejabberd | Syphon |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 91 · Excellent | 14 · At risk |
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | GPL-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Erlang | Dart |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 6,732 | ★ 1,059 |
| First released | 2002 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Slack, WhatsApp | WhatsApp, Discord |
What are ejabberd and Syphon?
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
Syphon
Syphon is a Matrix messaging client that emphasizes privacy and a calm, distraction-free interface, built with Flutter for desktop and mobile. It supports end-to-end encryption out of the box.
- Privacy-first Matrix client
- End-to-end encryption
- Distraction-free design
- Desktop and mobile
ejabberd vs Syphon: key differences
Ejabberd is written in Erlang, while Syphon is built with Dart. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for ejabberd versus AGPL-3.0 for Syphon. Syphon 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 Syphon arrived in 2020. Ejabberd has the considerably larger community, at 6,732 GitHub stars versus 1,059. Ejabberd lists first-class Docker deployment; Syphon 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 Syphon if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (1.1k GitHub stars)
- Written in Dart
Frequently asked questions
Is ejabberd or Syphon better?
Neither is universally better. ejabberd has the larger community, while Syphon is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are ejabberd and Syphon free and open-source?
Yes. ejabberd is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Syphon under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run ejabberd and Syphon with Docker?
ejabberd: yes. Syphon: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, ejabberd or Syphon?
Syphon 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.