Fractal vs Miaou
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted apps from related categories — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Fractal
GNOME-native Matrix messaging client
VS
Miaou
Self-hosted multi-room chat with markdown and code blocks
| Feature | Fractal | Miaou |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Chat & Communication |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | Rust | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 900 | ★ 553 |
| First released | 2017 | 2014 |
| Replaces | Slack, Discord | Discord, Slack |
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 Miaou if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Written in JavaScript
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Fractal or Miaou better?
Fractal is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Miaou if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Fractal and Miaou free and open-source?
Yes. Fractal is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Miaou under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Fractal and Miaou with Docker?
Fractal: check the project docs for container support. Miaou: check the project docs for container support.