Ergo vs Nextcloud Talk
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted chat & communication options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Ergo
Modern IRC server with IRCv3 and bouncer features
VS
Nextcloud Talk
Chat, video calls and webinars integrated into Nextcloud
| Feature | Ergo | Nextcloud Talk |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 88 · Excellent | 86 · Excellent |
| Category | Chat & Communication | Chat & Communication |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Go | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,333 | ★ 2,201 |
| First released | 2016 | 2018 |
| Replaces | Slack, Discord | Slack, Zoom, Microsoft Teams |
What are Ergo and Nextcloud Talk?
Ergo
Ergo, formerly known as Oragono, is a modern IRC server written in Go that combines an IRCd with bouncer-like features. It supports IRCv3, has built-in account management, and stores message history.
- Full IRCv3 support
- Built-in account registration
- Persistent message history
- Single binary deployment
Nextcloud Talk
Nextcloud Talk is the communication app for the Nextcloud platform, providing private chat, audio and video calls, and screen sharing. It runs entirely on your own Nextcloud instance.
- Integrated with Nextcloud files
- WebRTC audio and video calls
- Screen sharing and webinars
- Mobile apps for iOS and Android
Ergo vs Nextcloud Talk: key differences
Ergo is written in Go, while Nextcloud Talk is built with JavaScript. Licensing differs — MIT for Ergo versus AGPL-3.0 for Nextcloud Talk. Ergo is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Nextcloud Talk. Ergo is the more established project (first released 2016), while Nextcloud Talk arrived in 2018.
Why pick each one
Choose Ergo if…
- No external services needed
- Easy to run
Watch out for
- IRC protocol limitations
- No web UI included
Choose Nextcloud Talk if…
- Tight Nextcloud integration
- End-to-end encrypted calls
Watch out for
- Requires a Nextcloud installation
- High-load calls need a TURN/HPB server
Frequently asked questions
Is Ergo or Nextcloud Talk better?
Neither is universally better. Ergo has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Ergo and Nextcloud Talk free and open-source?
Yes. Ergo is licensed under MIT and Nextcloud Talk under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Ergo and Nextcloud Talk with Docker?
Ergo: yes. Nextcloud Talk: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Ergo or Nextcloud Talk?
Ergo has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Nextcloud Talk. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.