Jami vs Linphone
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted chat & communication options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Jami
Fully distributed, peer-to-peer encrypted communication
VS
Linphone
Open-source SIP voice, video, and messaging client
| Feature | Jami | Linphone |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Chat & Communication | Chat & Communication |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | C++ | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, binary | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 41 | ★ 500 |
| First released | 2016 | 2001 |
| Replaces | Skype, Zoom, WhatsApp | Skype, Zoom |
Why pick each one
Choose Linphone if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Written in C++
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Jami or Linphone better?
Neither is universally better. Linphone has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Jami and Linphone free and open-source?
Yes. Jami is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Linphone under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Jami and Linphone with Docker?
Jami: check the project docs for container support. Linphone: check the project docs for container support.