Galène vs Linphone
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted chat & communication options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Galène | Linphone |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 80 · Excellent | 74 · Good |
| Category | Chat & Communication | Chat & Communication |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Go | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,409 | ★ 506 |
| First released | 2020 | 2001 |
| Replaces | Zoom, Google Meet | Skype, Zoom |
What are Galène and Linphone?
Galène
Galène is a simple, efficient videoconferencing server designed for teaching and online meetings. It is written in Go and runs as a single binary with minimal dependencies.
- Single binary, no database
- Low resource usage
- Designed for teaching
- Screen sharing and recording
Linphone
Linphone is a free SIP-based softphone for voice and video calls and instant messaging. Combined with a SIP server it forms a fully self-hosted communication stack across desktop and mobile.
- SIP voice and video
- End-to-end encryption with ZRTP
- Cross-platform clients
- Instant messaging support
Galène vs Linphone: key differences
Galène is written in Go, while Linphone is built with C++. Licensing differs — MIT for Galène versus GPL-3.0 for Linphone. Linphone is the more established project (first released 2001), while Galène arrived in 2020. Galène has the considerably larger community, at 1,409 GitHub stars versus 506. Galène lists first-class Docker deployment; Linphone does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Galène if…
- Extremely simple to deploy
- Efficient on small servers
Watch out for
- Minimal UI
- Fewer features than larger platforms
Choose Linphone if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Written in C++
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Galène or Linphone better?
Galène is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Linphone if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Galène and Linphone free and open-source?
Yes. Galène is licensed under MIT and Linphone under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Galène and Linphone with Docker?
Galène: yes. Linphone: check the project docs for container support.