Iceshrimp vs Phanpy
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted social networks options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Phanpy
Minimalistic opinionated Fediverse ⁂ web client
| Feature | Iceshrimp | Phanpy |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Category | Social Networks | Social Networks |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 100 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 300 | ★ 1,492 |
| First released | 2023 | 2024 |
| Replaces | Twitter, Mastodon | Bluesky, Mastodon, Threads |
What are Iceshrimp and Phanpy?
Iceshrimp
Iceshrimp is a decentralized, ActivityPub-compatible microblogging server derived from Misskey with a focus on stability and reduced resource use. It offers a familiar fediverse experience with custom emoji and reactions.
- Misskey-compatible features
- Custom emoji reactions
- Lower resource usage
- ActivityPub federation
Phanpy
Minimalistic opinionated Fediverse ⁂ web client.
Iceshrimp vs Phanpy: key differences
Iceshrimp is written in TypeScript, while Phanpy is built with JavaScript. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Iceshrimp versus MIT for Phanpy. Phanpy is the lighter option, starting around 100 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Iceshrimp. Phanpy has the considerably larger community, at 1,492 GitHub stars versus 300. Iceshrimp lists first-class Docker deployment; Phanpy does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Iceshrimp if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in TypeScript
Choose Phanpy if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (1.5k GitHub stars)
- Written in JavaScript
Frequently asked questions
Is Iceshrimp or Phanpy better?
Phanpy is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Iceshrimp if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Iceshrimp and Phanpy free and open-source?
Yes. Iceshrimp is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Phanpy under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Iceshrimp and Phanpy with Docker?
Iceshrimp: yes. Phanpy: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Iceshrimp or Phanpy?
Phanpy has the smaller minimum footprint at 100 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Iceshrimp. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.