Hometown vs Ktistec
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted social networks options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
| Feature | Hometown | Ktistec |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Social Networks | Social Networks |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Ruby | Crystal |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 819 | ★ 435 |
| First released | 2019 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Twitter, Mastodon | Twitter, Mastodon |
Why pick each one
Choose Hometown if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Ruby
Choose Ktistec if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Written in Crystal
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Hometown or Ktistec better?
Neither is universally better. Hometown has the larger community, while Ktistec is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Hometown and Ktistec free and open-source?
Yes. Hometown is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Ktistec under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Hometown and Ktistec with Docker?
Hometown: yes. Ktistec: check the project docs for container support.