Firefish vs Phanpy
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted social networks options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Phanpy
Minimalistic opinionated Fediverse ⁂ web client
| Feature | Firefish | Phanpy |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Category | Social Networks | Social Networks |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 100 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,300 | ★ 1,492 |
| First released | 2022 | 2024 |
| Replaces | Twitter, Mastodon | Bluesky, Mastodon, Threads |
What are Firefish and Phanpy?
Firefish
Firefish is an open-source, decentralized social media platform built on ActivityPub with extensive interface customization. It includes a built-in post translator, reactions, and a flexible timeline.
- Highly customizable UI
- Post reactions
- Built-in translation
- Federated timelines
Phanpy
Minimalistic opinionated Fediverse ⁂ web client.
Firefish vs Phanpy: key differences
Firefish is written in TypeScript, while Phanpy is built with JavaScript. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Firefish versus MIT for Phanpy. Phanpy is the lighter option, starting around 100 MB of RAM against 2,048 MB for Firefish. Firefish is the more established project (first released 2022), while Phanpy arrived in 2024. Firefish lists first-class Docker deployment; Phanpy does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Firefish if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (1.3k GitHub stars)
- Written in TypeScript
Choose Phanpy if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (1.5k GitHub stars)
- Written in JavaScript
Frequently asked questions
Is Firefish or Phanpy better?
Phanpy is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Firefish if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Firefish and Phanpy free and open-source?
Yes. Firefish is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Phanpy under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Firefish and Phanpy with Docker?
Firefish: yes. Phanpy: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Firefish or Phanpy?
Phanpy has the smaller minimum footprint at 100 MB of RAM, compared to about 2,048 MB for Firefish. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.