Gajim vs Profanity
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted matrix & xmpp options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Gajim | Profanity |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | C |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 32 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 600 | ★ 1,542 |
| First released | 2005 | 2012 |
| Replaces | Skype, Slack | Slack |
What are Gajim and Profanity?
Gajim
Gajim is a cross-platform XMPP instant messaging client written in Python with a GTK interface. It supports OMEMO encryption, group chats, file transfer, and an extensive plugin system.
- OMEMO encryption
- Plugin system
- Group chat support
- Cross-platform
Profanity
Profanity is a console XMPP client whose interface is inspired by irssi. It supports OMEMO and OTR encryption, group chats, and a fully keyboard-driven workflow for the terminal.
- Terminal interface
- OMEMO and OTR encryption
- Keyboard-driven workflow
- Plugin support
Gajim vs Profanity: key differences
Gajim is written in Python, while Profanity is built with C. Profanity is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 128 MB for Gajim. Gajim is the more established project (first released 2005), while Profanity arrived in 2012. Profanity has the considerably larger community, at 1,542 GitHub stars versus 600.
Why pick each one
Choose Gajim if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in Python
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Choose Profanity if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Active community (1.5k GitHub stars)
- Written in C
- Tiny footprint — runs in 32 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Gajim or Profanity better?
Neither is universally better. Profanity has the larger community, while Gajim is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Gajim and Profanity free and open-source?
Yes. Gajim is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Profanity under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Gajim and Profanity with Docker?
Gajim: check the project docs for container support. Profanity: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Gajim or Profanity?
Profanity has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for Gajim. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.