Peachpub vs Smithereen
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?
Peachpub
Secure Scuttlebutt pub with a web interface for pub management
VS
Smithereen
Federated social network with a familiar layout
| Feature | Peachpub | Smithereen |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Chat & Communication | Social Networks |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Java | |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 50 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | — | ★ 547 |
| First released | 2023 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Facebook, Instagram | Facebook, VK |
Why pick each one
Choose Peachpub if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Tiny footprint — runs in 50 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 Peachpub or Smithereen better?
Neither is universally better. Smithereen has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Peachpub and Smithereen free and open-source?
Yes. Peachpub is licensed under MIT and Smithereen under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Peachpub and Smithereen with Docker?
Peachpub: check the project docs for container support. Smithereen: yes.