Session vs Syphon
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
Syphon
Privacy-focused Matrix client built with Flutter
| Feature | Session | Syphon |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Chat & Communication | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Dart |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, binary, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 546 | ★ 1,061 |
| First released | 2020 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Signal, WhatsApp, Telegram | WhatsApp, Discord |
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 Syphon if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (1.1k GitHub stars)
- Written in Dart
Frequently asked questions
Is Session or Syphon better?
Syphon is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Session if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Session and Syphon free and open-source?
Yes. Session is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Syphon under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Session and Syphon with Docker?
Session: check the project docs for container support. Syphon: check the project docs for container support.