SimpleX Chat 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?
SimpleX Chat
Private messenger without any user identifiers
VS
Monocles Chat
Privacy-focused XMPP messenger for Android
| Feature | SimpleX Chat | Monocles Chat |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Chat & Communication | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Haskell | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary, source | source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 19,211 | ★ 100 |
| First released | 2021 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Signal, WhatsApp, Telegram | WhatsApp, Signal |
Why pick each one
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 SimpleX Chat or Monocles Chat better?
Neither is universally better. SimpleX Chat 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 SimpleX Chat and Monocles Chat free and open-source?
Yes. SimpleX Chat is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Monocles Chat under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run SimpleX Chat and Monocles Chat with Docker?
SimpleX Chat: yes. Monocles Chat: check the project docs for container support.