Synapse vs qTox
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?
Synapse
Reference homeserver for the Matrix network
VS
qTox
Peer-to-peer encrypted messaging and calls over Tox
| Feature | Synapse | qTox |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Chat & Communication |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,503 | ★ 4,977 |
| First released | 2014 | 2014 |
| Replaces | Slack, Discord, WhatsApp | Skype, WhatsApp |
Why pick each one
Choose qTox if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Active community (5k GitHub stars)
- Written in C++
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Synapse or qTox better?
qTox is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Synapse if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Synapse and qTox free and open-source?
Yes. Synapse is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and qTox under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Synapse and qTox with Docker?
Synapse: yes. qTox: check the project docs for container support.