Fractal vs Dendrite
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted matrix & xmpp options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Fractal | Dendrite |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Status | Actively maintained | Archived |
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Rust | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 900 | ★ 5,625 |
| First released | 2017 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Slack, Discord | Slack, Discord |
What are Fractal and Dendrite?
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
Dendrite
Dendrite is a lightweight, efficient Matrix homeserver written in Go by the Matrix.org team. It is designed to be a more resource-efficient alternative to Synapse while remaining fully compatible with the Matrix protocol.
- Lower memory footprint than Synapse
- Federated Matrix protocol
- End-to-end encryption support
- Polylith and monolith deployment modes
Fractal vs Dendrite: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Dendrite's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Fractal is actively maintained. Fractal is written in Rust, while Dendrite is built with Go. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Fractal versus Apache-2.0 for Dendrite. Fractal is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Dendrite. Dendrite has the considerably larger community, at 5,625 GitHub stars versus 900. Dendrite lists first-class Docker deployment; Fractal does not.
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 Dendrite if…
- Much lighter than Synapse
- Active development by Matrix.org
Watch out for
- Some Synapse features still missing
- Less battle-tested at large scale
Frequently asked questions
Is Fractal or Dendrite better?
Neither is universally better. Dendrite has the larger community, while Fractal is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Fractal and Dendrite free and open-source?
Yes. Fractal is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Dendrite under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Fractal and Dendrite with Docker?
Fractal: check the project docs for container support. Dendrite: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Fractal or Dendrite?
Fractal has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Dendrite. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.