Sapphire Server vs TrinityCore
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted game engines & frameworks options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Sapphire Server
Open-source server emulator for Final Fantasy XIV
VS
TrinityCore
MMORPG server emulator for World of Warcraft
| Feature | Sapphire Server | TrinityCore |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Game Engines & Frameworks | Game Engines & Frameworks |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | C++ | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 4,096 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, docker | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 819 | ★ 10,703 |
| First released | 2017 | 2008 |
| Replaces | official FFXIV servers | official WoW servers |
Why pick each one
Choose Sapphire Server if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in C++
Choose TrinityCore if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- Mature project with 10.7k GitHub stars
- Written in C++
Frequently asked questions
Is Sapphire Server or TrinityCore better?
Neither is universally better. TrinityCore has the larger community; both share a hard setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Sapphire Server and TrinityCore free and open-source?
Yes. Sapphire Server is licensed under GPL-3.0 and TrinityCore under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Sapphire Server and TrinityCore with Docker?
Sapphire Server: yes. TrinityCore: check the project docs for container support.