MongooseIM vs Nheko
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?
MongooseIM
Scalable, robust XMPP messaging platform
VS
Nheko
Desktop Matrix client with native Qt interface
| Feature | MongooseIM | Nheko |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | GPL-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Erlang | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,748 | ★ 2,472 |
| First released | 2012 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Slack, WhatsApp | Slack, Discord |
Why pick each one
Choose MongooseIM if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (1.7k GitHub stars)
- Written in Erlang
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 MongooseIM or Nheko better?
Nheko is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider MongooseIM if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are MongooseIM and Nheko free and open-source?
Yes. MongooseIM is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Nheko under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run MongooseIM and Nheko with Docker?
MongooseIM: yes. Nheko: check the project docs for container support.