matrix-appservice-slack vs Synapse
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted matrix & xmpp options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
matrix-appservice-slack
Matrix-Slack bridge application service
VS
Synapse
Reference homeserver for the Matrix network
| Feature | matrix-appservice-slack | Synapse |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | Apache-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 281 | ★ 4,503 |
| First released | 2017 | 2014 |
| Replaces | Slack official client | Slack, Discord, WhatsApp |
Why pick each one
Choose matrix-appservice-slack if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in TypeScript
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is matrix-appservice-slack or Synapse better?
Neither is universally better. Synapse has the larger community, while matrix-appservice-slack is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are matrix-appservice-slack and Synapse free and open-source?
Yes. matrix-appservice-slack is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Synapse under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run matrix-appservice-slack and Synapse with Docker?
matrix-appservice-slack: yes. Synapse: yes.