Let's Chat vs Synapse
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
Synapse
Reference homeserver for the Matrix network
| Feature | Let's Chat | Synapse |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Team Chat | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 9,803 | ★ 4,503 |
| First released | 2014 | 2014 |
| Replaces | Slack, HipChat | Slack, Discord, WhatsApp |
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
Frequently asked questions
Is Let's Chat or Synapse better?
Let's Chat is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Synapse if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Let's Chat and Synapse free and open-source?
Yes. Let's Chat is licensed under MIT and Synapse under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Let's Chat and Synapse with Docker?
Let's Chat: yes. Synapse: yes.