SchildiChat vs SimpleX Chat
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?
SchildiChat
Element-based Matrix client with extra usability tweaks
VS
SimpleX Chat
Private messenger without any user identifiers
| Feature | SchildiChat | SimpleX Chat |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Chat & Communication |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Shell | Haskell |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 465 | ★ 19,211 |
| First released | 2020 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Slack, WhatsApp | Signal, WhatsApp, Telegram |
Why pick each one
Choose SchildiChat if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Shell
Frequently asked questions
Is SchildiChat or SimpleX Chat better?
Neither is universally better. SimpleX Chat has the larger community, while SchildiChat is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are SchildiChat and SimpleX Chat free and open-source?
Yes. SchildiChat is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and SimpleX Chat under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run SchildiChat and SimpleX Chat with Docker?
SchildiChat: yes. SimpleX Chat: yes.