Jangouts vs Spark IM
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted apps from related categories — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Jangouts
Videoconferencing based on WebRTC and Janus Gateway with an UI
VS
Spark IM
Cross-platform XMPP instant messaging client
| Feature | Jangouts | Spark IM |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Video Conferencing | Team Chat |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 50 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 444 | ★ 601 |
| First released | 2025 | 2004 |
| Replaces | Google Hangouts, Skype | Slack, Skype |
Why pick each one
Choose Jangouts if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Written in JavaScript
- Tiny footprint — runs in 50 MB RAM
Choose Spark IM if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in Java
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Jangouts or Spark IM better?
Spark IM is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Jangouts if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Jangouts and Spark IM free and open-source?
Yes. Jangouts is licensed under MIT and Spark IM under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Jangouts and Spark IM with Docker?
Jangouts: check the project docs for container support. Spark IM: check the project docs for container support.