Fractal vs gomuks
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted matrix & xmpp options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Fractal | gomuks |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Rust | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 900 | ★ 1,727 |
| First released | 2017 | 2018 |
| Replaces | Slack, Discord | Slack, Discord |
What are Fractal and gomuks?
Fractal
Fractal is a Matrix client designed for the GNOME desktop and written in Rust with GTK. It supports end-to-end encryption, multiple accounts, and integrates cleanly with the GNOME ecosystem.
- GNOME-native GTK interface
- End-to-end encryption
- Multi-account support
- Adaptive layout
gomuks
gomuks is a terminal user interface client for the Matrix protocol. It supports end-to-end encryption and provides a keyboard-driven chat experience for people who prefer the command line.
- Terminal UI
- End-to-end encryption
- Keyboard-driven
- Single Go binary
Fractal vs gomuks: key differences
Fractal is written in Rust, while gomuks is built with Go. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Fractal versus AGPL-3.0 for gomuks. Gomuks is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Fractal.
Why pick each one
Choose Fractal if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in Rust
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Choose gomuks if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (1.7k GitHub stars)
- Written in Go
Frequently asked questions
Is Fractal or gomuks better?
Neither is universally better. gomuks has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Fractal and gomuks free and open-source?
Yes. Fractal is licensed under GPL-3.0 and gomuks under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Fractal and gomuks with Docker?
Fractal: check the project docs for container support. gomuks: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Fractal or gomuks?
gomuks has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Fractal. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.