Tinode vs Rocket.Chat
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?
Tinode
Open-source instant messaging server
VS
Rocket.Chat
Open-source team chat and collaboration platform
| Feature | Tinode | Rocket.Chat |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Team Chat |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | Go | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | docker, snap, kubernetes |
| GitHub stars | ★ 13,452 | ★ 45,947 |
| First released | 2016 | 2015 |
| Replaces | WhatsApp, Slack | Slack, Microsoft Teams |
Why pick each one
Choose Rocket.Chat if…
- Feature-rich Slack alternative
- Strong integrations
- Self-hostable
Frequently asked questions
Is Tinode or Rocket.Chat better?
Neither is universally better. Rocket.Chat has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Tinode and Rocket.Chat free and open-source?
Yes. Tinode is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Rocket.Chat under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Tinode and Rocket.Chat with Docker?
Tinode: yes. Rocket.Chat: yes.