Session vs Wesh Network
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted chat & communication options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Session | Wesh Network |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 80 · Excellent | 56 · Fair |
| Category | Chat & Communication | Chat & Communication |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, binary, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 585 | ★ 251 |
| First released | 2020 | 2022 |
| Replaces | Signal, WhatsApp, Telegram | Signal, WhatsApp |
What are Session and Wesh Network?
Session
Session is an end-to-end encrypted messenger that routes messages through a decentralized onion network of community-operated nodes. It requires no phone number or email to sign up.
- Onion-routed message delivery
- No phone number required
- Decentralized service node network
- End-to-end encryption
Wesh Network
Wesh Network is the peer-to-peer protocol toolkit powering Berty, providing end-to-end encrypted, asynchronous messaging that works without central servers or phone numbers. It can be self-hosted as relay infrastructure.
- Peer-to-peer encrypted messaging protocol
- Works without central servers
- No phone number required
Session vs Wesh Network: key differences
Session is written in TypeScript, while Wesh Network is built with Go. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Session versus Apache-2.0 for Wesh Network. Session is the more established project (first released 2020), while Wesh Network arrived in 2022. Session has the considerably larger community, at 585 GitHub stars versus 251.
Why pick each one
Choose Session if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Written in TypeScript
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Watch out for
- Relies on the Session node network
- Message delivery can be slower
Choose Wesh Network if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- Written in Go
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Session or Wesh Network better?
Session is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Wesh Network if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Session and Wesh Network free and open-source?
Yes. Session is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Wesh Network under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Session and Wesh Network with Docker?
Session: check the project docs for container support. Wesh Network: check the project docs for container support.