Rocket.Chat vs Synapse
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?
Rocket.Chat
Open-source team chat and collaboration platform
VS
Synapse
Reference homeserver for the Matrix network
| Feature | Rocket.Chat | Synapse |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Team Chat | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, snap, kubernetes | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 45,947 | ★ 4,503 |
| First released | 2015 | 2014 |
| Replaces | Slack, Microsoft Teams | Slack, Discord, WhatsApp |
Why pick each one
Choose Rocket.Chat if…
- Feature-rich Slack alternative
- Strong integrations
- Self-hostable
Frequently asked questions
Is Rocket.Chat or Synapse better?
Rocket.Chat is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Synapse if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Rocket.Chat and Synapse free and open-source?
Yes. Rocket.Chat is licensed under MIT and Synapse under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Rocket.Chat and Synapse with Docker?
Rocket.Chat: yes. Synapse: yes.