Mitra vs Streams
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted social networks options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Mitra
Federated microblogging server with crypto integration
VS
Streams
Decentralized social server with nomadic identity
| Feature | Mitra | Streams |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | Social Networks | Social Networks |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | Rust | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 200 | ★ 100 |
| First released | 2021 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Twitter, Mastodon | Facebook, Mastodon |
What are Mitra and Streams?
Mitra
Mitra is a lightweight, federated microblogging server written in Rust that implements ActivityPub. It is designed for small instances and includes optional integration with cryptocurrency-based features.
- Lightweight Rust server
- ActivityPub federation
- Small-instance focus
- Low resource usage
Streams
Streams is a free, decentralized social communication server that supports nomadic identity, letting accounts move and clone between instances. It federates with the fediverse and offers fine-grained permissions.
- Nomadic identity
- Account cloning across servers
- Fediverse federation
- Granular permissions
Mitra vs Streams: key differences
Mitra is written in Rust, while Streams is built with PHP. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Mitra versus MIT for Streams. Mitra is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Streams. Mitra has the considerably larger community, at 200 GitHub stars versus 100.
Why pick each one
Choose Mitra if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Rust
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Choose Streams if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in PHP
Frequently asked questions
Is Mitra or Streams better?
Mitra is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Streams if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Mitra and Streams free and open-source?
Yes. Mitra is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Streams under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Mitra and Streams with Docker?
Mitra: yes. Streams: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Mitra or Streams?
Mitra has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Streams. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.