Session vs Snikket
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
Snikket
Easy self-hosted XMPP chat for groups
| Feature | Session | Snikket |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Chat & Communication | Social Networks |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Lua |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, binary, source | docker, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 546 | ★ 437 |
| First released | 2020 | 2020 |
| 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
Frequently asked questions
Is Session or Snikket better?
Neither is universally better. Session has the larger community, while Snikket is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Session and Snikket free and open-source?
Yes. Session is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Snikket under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Session and Snikket with Docker?
Session: check the project docs for container support. Snikket: yes.