Let's Chat vs Nheko
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?
Let's Chat
Self-hosted chat app for small teams
VS
Nheko
Desktop Matrix client with native Qt interface
| Feature | Let's Chat | Nheko |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Team Chat | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 9,803 | ★ 2,472 |
| First released | 2014 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Slack, HipChat | Slack, Discord |
Why pick each one
Choose Let's Chat if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 9.8k GitHub stars
- Written in JavaScript
Choose Nheko if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (2.5k GitHub stars)
- Written in C++
Frequently asked questions
Is Let's Chat or Nheko better?
Neither is universally better. Let's Chat has the larger community, while Nheko is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Let's Chat and Nheko free and open-source?
Yes. Let's Chat is licensed under MIT and Nheko under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Let's Chat and Nheko with Docker?
Let's Chat: yes. Nheko: check the project docs for container support.