Session vs Monocles 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?
Session
Onion-routed private messenger with no phone number
VS
Monocles Chat
Privacy-focused XMPP messenger for Android
| Feature | Session | Monocles Chat |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Chat & Communication | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, binary, source | source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 546 | ★ 100 |
| First released | 2020 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Signal, WhatsApp, Telegram | WhatsApp, Signal |
Why pick each one
Choose Session if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Written in TypeScript
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Choose Monocles Chat if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in Java
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Session or Monocles Chat better?
Neither is universally better. Session has the larger community, while Monocles Chat is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Session and Monocles Chat free and open-source?
Yes. Session is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Monocles Chat under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Session and Monocles Chat with Docker?
Session: check the project docs for container support. Monocles Chat: check the project docs for container support.