SimpleX Chat vs Spectrum 2
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted chat & communication options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
SimpleX Chat
Private messenger without any user identifiers
VS
Spectrum 2
Transport and gateway framework for messaging networks
| Feature | SimpleX Chat | Spectrum 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Chat & Communication | Chat & Communication |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Haskell | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 19,211 | ★ 418 |
| First released | 2021 | 2012 |
| Replaces | Signal, WhatsApp, Telegram | Bitlbee |
Why pick each one
Choose Spectrum 2 if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in C++
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is SimpleX Chat or Spectrum 2 better?
SimpleX Chat is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Spectrum 2 if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are SimpleX Chat and Spectrum 2 free and open-source?
Yes. SimpleX Chat is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Spectrum 2 under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run SimpleX Chat and Spectrum 2 with Docker?
SimpleX Chat: yes. Spectrum 2: yes.