MongooseIM vs Session
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?
MongooseIM
Scalable, robust XMPP messaging platform
VS
Session
Onion-routed private messenger with no phone number
| Feature | MongooseIM | Session |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Chat & Communication |
| License | GPL-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Erlang | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | bare-metal, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,748 | ★ 546 |
| First released | 2012 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Slack, WhatsApp | Signal, WhatsApp, Telegram |
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 Session if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Written in TypeScript
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is MongooseIM or Session better?
Neither is universally better. MongooseIM has the larger community, while Session is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are MongooseIM and Session free and open-source?
Yes. MongooseIM is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Session under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run MongooseIM and Session with Docker?
MongooseIM: yes. Session: check the project docs for container support.