mautrix-signal vs Prose
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 | Prose |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 81 · Excellent | 64 · Good |
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MPL-2.0 |
| Language | Go | Vue |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 50 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 673 | ★ 59 |
| First released | 2020 | 2025 |
| Replaces | Signal | Discord, Facebook Messenger, Signal |
What are mautrix-signal and Prose?
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
Prose
Prose Web application. XMPP client for team messaging.
mautrix-signal vs Prose: key differences
Mautrix-signal is written in Go, while Prose is built with Vue. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for mautrix-signal versus MPL-2.0 for Prose. Prose is the lighter option, starting around 50 MB of RAM against 512 MB for mautrix-signal. Mautrix-signal is the more established project (first released 2020), while Prose arrived in 2025. Mautrix-signal has the considerably larger community, at 673 GitHub stars versus 59. Mautrix-signal lists first-class Docker deployment; Prose 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 Prose if…
- Released under the MPL-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in Vue
- Tiny footprint — runs in 50 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is mautrix-signal or Prose better?
Neither is universally better. mautrix-signal has the larger community, while Prose is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are mautrix-signal and Prose free and open-source?
Yes. mautrix-signal is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Prose under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run mautrix-signal and Prose with Docker?
mautrix-signal: yes. Prose: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, mautrix-signal or Prose?
Prose has the smaller minimum footprint at 50 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for mautrix-signal. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.