mautrix-signal 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?
mautrix-signal
Bridge connecting Signal messaging to Matrix
VS
Synapse
Reference homeserver for the Matrix network
| Feature | mautrix-signal | Synapse |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Go | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 666 | ★ 4,503 |
| First released | 2020 | 2014 |
| Replaces | Signal | Slack, Discord, WhatsApp |
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
Frequently asked questions
Is mautrix-signal or Synapse better?
Neither is universally better. Synapse has the larger community; both share a hard setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are mautrix-signal and Synapse free and open-source?
Yes. mautrix-signal is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Synapse under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run mautrix-signal and Synapse with Docker?
mautrix-signal: yes. Synapse: yes.