Hollo vs Streams
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted social networks options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Hollo
Single-user federated microblogging server
VS
Streams
Decentralized social server with nomadic identity
| Feature | Hollo | Streams |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | Social Networks | Social Networks |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 489 | ★ 100 |
| First released | 2024 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Twitter, Mastodon | Facebook, Mastodon |
What are Hollo and Streams?
Hollo
Hollo is a federated single-user microblogging server compatible with the Mastodon client API. It is designed for individuals who want their own ActivityPub presence without running a multi-user instance.
- Single-user microblog
- Mastodon API compatible
- ActivityPub federation
- Markdown posts
Streams
Streams is a free, decentralized social communication server that supports nomadic identity, letting accounts move and clone between instances. It federates with the fediverse and offers fine-grained permissions.
- Nomadic identity
- Account cloning across servers
- Fediverse federation
- Granular permissions
Hollo vs Streams: key differences
Hollo is written in TypeScript, while Streams is built with PHP. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Hollo versus MIT for Streams. Hollo is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Streams. Streams is the more established project (first released 2021), while Hollo arrived in 2024. Hollo has the considerably larger community, at 489 GitHub stars versus 100.
Why pick each one
Choose Hollo if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in TypeScript
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Choose Streams if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in PHP
Frequently asked questions
Is Hollo or Streams better?
Hollo is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Streams if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Hollo and Streams free and open-source?
Yes. Hollo is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Streams under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Hollo and Streams with Docker?
Hollo: yes. Streams: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Hollo or Streams?
Hollo has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Streams. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.