mautrix-signal vs Monocles Chat
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted matrix & xmpp options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | mautrix-signal | Monocles Chat |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Go | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 673 | ★ 100 |
| First released | 2020 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Signal | WhatsApp, Signal |
What are mautrix-signal and Monocles Chat?
mautrix-signal
mautrix-signal is a puppeting bridge that links Signal conversations to Matrix rooms in both directions, letting Matrix users communicate with Signal contacts. It is part of the mautrix bridge family.
- Signal to Matrix bridge
- Bidirectional messaging
- End-to-end encryption support
- Part of the mautrix family
Monocles Chat
Monocles Chat is an Android XMPP messaging client forked from Conversations with an extended feature set and theming options. It supports OMEMO encryption, group chats, and audio and video calls.
- Android XMPP client
- OMEMO encryption
- Audio and video calls
- Extensive theming
mautrix-signal vs Monocles Chat: key differences
Mautrix-signal is written in Go, while Monocles Chat is built with Java. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for mautrix-signal versus GPL-3.0 for Monocles Chat. Monocles Chat is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for mautrix-signal. Mautrix-signal has the considerably larger community, at 673 GitHub stars versus 100. Mautrix-signal lists first-class Docker deployment; Monocles Chat does not.
Why pick each one
Choose mautrix-signal if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Go
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Choose Monocles Chat if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in Java
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is mautrix-signal or Monocles Chat better?
Neither is universally better. mautrix-signal has the larger community, while Monocles Chat is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are mautrix-signal and Monocles Chat free and open-source?
Yes. mautrix-signal is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Monocles Chat under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run mautrix-signal and Monocles Chat with Docker?
mautrix-signal: yes. Monocles Chat: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, mautrix-signal or Monocles Chat?
Monocles Chat has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for mautrix-signal. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.