Red Eclipse vs Xonotic
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted game servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Red Eclipse
Fast-paced open-source arena first-person shooter
VS
Xonotic
Fast-paced free arena first-person shooter
| Feature | Red Eclipse | Xonotic |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Game Servers | Game Servers |
| License | Zlib | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | C++ | C |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | bare-metal, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 528 | ★ 700 |
| First released | 2011 | 2011 |
| Replaces | Quake, Unreal Tournament | Quake, Unreal Tournament |
Why pick each one
Choose Red Eclipse if…
- Released under the Zlib license
- Written in C++
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Red Eclipse or Xonotic better?
Xonotic is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Red Eclipse if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Red Eclipse and Xonotic free and open-source?
Yes. Red Eclipse is licensed under Zlib and Xonotic under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Red Eclipse and Xonotic with Docker?
Red Eclipse: check the project docs for container support. Xonotic: check the project docs for container support.