Miaou vs Nheko
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted apps from related categories — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Miaou
Self-hosted multi-room chat with markdown and code blocks
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Nheko
Desktop Matrix client with native Qt interface
| Feature | Miaou | Nheko |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Chat & Communication | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 553 | ★ 2,472 |
| First released | 2014 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Discord, Slack | Slack, Discord |
Why pick each one
Choose Miaou if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Written in JavaScript
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Choose Nheko if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (2.5k GitHub stars)
- Written in C++
Frequently asked questions
Is Miaou or Nheko better?
Nheko is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Miaou if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Miaou and Nheko free and open-source?
Yes. Miaou is licensed under MIT and Nheko under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Miaou and Nheko with Docker?
Miaou: check the project docs for container support. Nheko: check the project docs for container support.