FluffyChat vs Tinode
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted matrix & xmpp options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | FluffyChat | Tinode |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 87 · Excellent | 94 · Excellent |
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Dart | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,143 | ★ 13,516 |
| First released | 2019 | 2016 |
| Replaces | WhatsApp, Telegram | WhatsApp, Slack |
What are FluffyChat and Tinode?
FluffyChat
FluffyChat is a friendly, easy-to-use Matrix client built with Flutter, available on mobile, desktop, and web. It emphasizes simplicity while supporting Matrix end-to-end encryption.
- Built with Flutter for all platforms
- End-to-end encryption
- Friendly, approachable design
- Web build can be self-hosted
Tinode
Tinode is an open-source instant messaging server with a backend and clients designed as an alternative to closed messengers. It targets developers building chat into products. It is deployed via Docker or binaries.
- Lightweight messaging server
- Web, mobile and CLI clients
- Group and peer-to-peer chats
- Pluggable storage backends
FluffyChat vs Tinode: key differences
FluffyChat is written in Dart, while Tinode is built with Go. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for FluffyChat versus GPL-3.0 for Tinode. FluffyChat is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Tinode. Tinode is the more established project (first released 2016), while FluffyChat arrived in 2019. Tinode has the considerably larger community, at 13,516 GitHub stars versus 3,143. Tinode lists first-class Docker deployment; FluffyChat does not.
Why pick each one
Choose FluffyChat if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (3.1k GitHub stars)
- Written in Dart
Watch out for
- Matrix-only
- Fewer power-user features
Choose Tinode if…
- Good developer foundation
- Multiple clients
- Lightweight
Watch out for
- More toolkit than product
- Smaller community
Frequently asked questions
Is FluffyChat or Tinode better?
Neither is universally better. Tinode has the larger community, while FluffyChat is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are FluffyChat and Tinode free and open-source?
Yes. FluffyChat is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Tinode under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run FluffyChat and Tinode with Docker?
FluffyChat: check the project docs for container support. Tinode: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, FluffyChat or Tinode?
FluffyChat has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Tinode. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.