Spark IM vs Zulip Terminal
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted team chat options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Spark IM
Cross-platform XMPP instant messaging client
VS
Zulip Terminal
Terminal client for the Zulip team chat platform
| Feature | Spark IM | Zulip Terminal |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Team Chat | Team Chat |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Java | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 601 | ★ 852 |
| First released | 2004 | 2018 |
| Replaces | Slack, Skype | Slack |
Why pick each one
Choose Spark IM if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in Java
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Spark IM or Zulip Terminal better?
Neither is universally better. Zulip Terminal has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Spark IM and Zulip Terminal free and open-source?
Yes. Spark IM is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Zulip Terminal under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Spark IM and Zulip Terminal with Docker?
Spark IM: check the project docs for container support. Zulip Terminal: check the project docs for container support.