Osada vs Smithereen
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted social networks options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Osada
ActivityPub social server with nomadic features
VS
Smithereen
Federated social network with a familiar layout
| Feature | Osada | Smithereen |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Social Networks | Social Networks |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 20 | ★ 547 |
| First released | 2018 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Facebook, Twitter | Facebook, VK |
Why pick each one
Choose Osada if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Written in PHP
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Choose Smithereen if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Java
Frequently asked questions
Is Osada or Smithereen better?
Smithereen is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Osada if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Osada and Smithereen free and open-source?
Yes. Osada is licensed under MIT and Smithereen under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Osada and Smithereen with Docker?
Osada: check the project docs for container support. Smithereen: yes.