Forte vs Smithereen
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted social networks options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Forte
open source ActivityPub/fediverse server
VS
Smithereen
Federated social network with a familiar layout
| Feature | Forte | Smithereen |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | Social Networks | Social Networks |
| License | Unlicense | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Java | |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 50 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | — | ★ 546 |
| First released | 2025 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Facebook, Threads, Tumblr | Facebook, VK |
What are Forte and Smithereen?
Forte
open source ActivityPub/fediverse server.
Smithereen
Smithereen is a federated, ActivityPub-powered social network whose interface is inspired by classic social media layouts. It supports friends, walls, photo albums, and groups across the fediverse.
- Classic social layout
- Friend and wall model
- Photo albums
- Fediverse groups
Forte vs Smithereen: key differences
Licensing differs — Unlicense for Forte versus AGPL-3.0 for Smithereen. Forte is the lighter option, starting around 50 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Smithereen. Smithereen is the more established project (first released 2020), while Forte arrived in 2025. Smithereen lists first-class Docker deployment; Forte does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Forte if…
- Released under the Unlicense license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Tiny footprint — runs in 50 MB RAM
Choose Smithereen if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Java
Frequently asked questions
Is Forte or Smithereen better?
Neither is universally better. Smithereen has the larger community, while Forte is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Forte and Smithereen free and open-source?
Yes. Forte is licensed under Unlicense and Smithereen under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Forte and Smithereen with Docker?
Forte: check the project docs for container support. Smithereen: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Forte or Smithereen?
Forte has the smaller minimum footprint at 50 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Smithereen. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.