mautrix-signal vs Openfire
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
Openfire
Real-time collaboration XMPP server written in Java
| Feature | mautrix-signal | Openfire |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Go | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | docker, bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 666 | ★ 3,052 |
| First released | 2020 | 2004 |
| Replaces | Signal | Slack, Microsoft Teams |
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 Openfire better?
Openfire is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider mautrix-signal if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are mautrix-signal and Openfire free and open-source?
Yes. mautrix-signal is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Openfire under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run mautrix-signal and Openfire with Docker?
mautrix-signal: yes. Openfire: yes.