Best Self Hosted Alternatives to Chanty

Rocket.Chat is an open-source communications platform designed for secure, mission-critical messaging and collaboration. It provides real-time team chat plus optional omnichannel engagement features for communicating with external users through multiple channels.

Key Features

• Public and private channels, direct messages, threads, mentions, and reactions
• Role-based access control and administrative controls for organizations
• Voice and video calling support (WebRTC)
• Omnichannel capabilities for customer/citizen support workflows
• Extensible apps and integrations ecosystem (Marketplace and custom apps)
• Federation options for connecting multiple Rocket.Chat servers

Use Cases

• Private Slack-like team chat for companies and regulated environments
• Secure internal and cross-organization coordination for operations teams
• Customer support or citizen engagement via an omnichannel inbox

Limitations and Considerations

• Some advanced features (especially around omnichannel and governance) may depend on enterprise licensing and deployment choices
• Real-time performance and large deployments require careful sizing and database tuning

Rocket.Chat is a strong fit for organizations that need control over data, flexible deployment options, and a customizable communications stack. It combines modern chat features with extensibility and security-oriented administration for critical operations.

Mattermost is an open-source, self-hosted collaboration platform designed for secure team communication and real-time collaboration in high-stakes environments. It supports flexible deployment options, including on-premises or private cloud setups, with enterprise-grade security, governance, and integration capabilities.

Key Features

• Self-hosted deployment with high availability for mission-critical use
• Native audio calls and screen sharing within channels
• Interoperability with external tools (MS Teams, GitLab, Atlassian) and native playbooks
• Open-source Team Edition licensed under MIT
• Data control, granular admin and deployment flexibility (air-gapped networks, on-prem/private cloud)
• Real-time DevSecOps collaboration with integrated playbooks and automation

Use Cases

• Integrated Security Operations and incident response coordination
• Real-time DevSecOps collaboration to accelerate software delivery
• Self-sovereign collaboration and data governance for regulated environments

Limitations and Considerations

• Team Edition is intended for small teams and is not recommended for government or sensitive workloads

Conclusion: Mattermost offers a secure, self-hosted collaboration platform with deployment flexibility and strong integration capabilities, making it suitable for organizations needing data control and mission-critical workflows.

Zulip is an open-source team chat platform designed for both real-time and asynchronous communication. Its distinctive topic-based threading keeps conversations organized, making it easier to follow multiple discussions without losing context.

Key Features

• Topic-based threading within channels (streams) to keep discussions focused
• Inbox-style view to prioritize unread conversations
• Real-time messaging with searchable history
• Powerful integrations and bots, including webhook-based workflows
• Granular permissions and administration for organizations and communities
• Multi-platform clients, including web, desktop, and mobile apps

Use Cases

• Team communication for engineering, product, and operations groups
• Open source or community collaboration with many parallel discussions
• Async-first coordination across time zones while preserving context

Zulip is a strong fit for teams that want the immediacy of chat without sacrificing long-term clarity. Its conversation organization model scales well as the number of channels and active threads grows.

Element is a Matrix-based collaboration and messaging client for web and desktop, designed for interoperable real-time communication across the federated Matrix network. It supports deployments where organizations want control over their communication stack while remaining compatible with other Matrix services.

Key Features

• Matrix client for rooms, direct messages, and community-style spaces
• End-to-end encryption for private conversations (Matrix E2EE)
• Cross-organization interoperability via Matrix federation
• Audio/video calling capabilities via the Matrix ecosystem
• Configurable deployment via a static web build and a JSON configuration file
• Optional desktop app packaging (Electron wrapper)

Use Cases

• Secure team chat for companies, communities, and public-sector organizations
• Federated collaboration between multiple organizations using different Matrix servers
• Self-hosted communication front-end paired with a Matrix homeserver

Limitations and Considerations

• Requires a compatible Matrix homeserver (such as Synapse) to function
• Recommended to host the client on a different domain than the homeserver to reduce XSS risk

Element is a widely used Matrix client that emphasizes interoperability, encryption, and deployment flexibility. It is a strong choice for organizations that want modern real-time collaboration without vendor lock-in.

Spacebar is a free and open source communication platform that reimplements Discord’s core user experience as a self-hostable, full-stack system. It aims for compatibility with Discord clients and bots while providing control over configuration, theming, and deployment.

Key Features

• Discord-compatible API behavior to reuse many existing clients and bots with minimal changes
• Real-time text chat with gateway-style events
• Voice and video calling via WebRTC
• Built-in content delivery (CDN-style) for media and attachments
• Admin dashboard and configurable limits for communities and deployments
• Theme system and design customization
• Plugin/extension approach for adding functionality
• Decentralization-oriented design goals to reduce single points of failure

Use Cases

• Host a Discord-like community server for a company, school, or gaming group
• Run a private collaboration chat with full control over data retention and policies
• Provide a compatible backend for custom clients, integrations, or bots

Limitations and Considerations

• Compatibility with all Discord features and third-party clients/bots may vary due to ongoing reimplementation work

Spacebar is a strong option for teams and communities that want a familiar Discord-style experience while retaining control over hosting, customization, and platform behavior. It is especially appealing when Discord API compatibility and real-time communication features are key requirements.

Tailchat is an open source “noIM” (not only instant messaging) team collaboration app that combines chat with an extensible platform for integrating tools and workflows. It supports multi-group workspaces, panels for organizing topics, and a plugin-centered approach for customization.

Key Features

• Real-time messaging with multiple message types (text, links, mentions, images, files) and reactions
• Workspace and group structure with panels to organize conversations by topic
• Inbox-style notifications for mentions and plugin events
• Plugin center for extending the UI and embedding tools (e.g., whiteboards, conferencing, utilities)
• Bot and open platform integrations via simple URL requests or OpenAPI apps
• Built-in RBAC permission system with roles and permission points that plugins can extend
• Optional AI assistant features such as rewriting, simplifying text, and summarizing chat history
• Multi-platform support with web-based UI and dedicated clients for native capabilities

Use Cases

• Replacing Slack/Discord-style chat for teams that want deeper customization
• Building an internal collaboration hub by embedding third-party tools through plugins
• Adding automation and notifications from external systems using bots and OpenAPI

Limitations and Considerations

• The third-party developer interfaces and plugin APIs may still evolve and can introduce breaking changes over time

Tailchat fits teams that want a modern chat experience but also need a flexible integration and extension model. Its plugin system and RBAC design make it suitable for both small groups and larger, structured organizations.

Synapse is a Matrix homeserver implementation that powers federated, end-to-end encrypted real-time communication using the open Matrix protocol. It provides the core server-side APIs needed for Matrix clients and for federation with other Matrix servers.

Key Features

• Matrix Client-Server API for chat, rooms, presence, and device management
• Server-to-Server federation to communicate with other Matrix homeservers
• End-to-end encryption support via Matrix encryption primitives and device tracking
• Moderation and administration capabilities for users, rooms, and server policy
• Pluggable authentication options (commonly used with SSO/OIDC deployments)
• Scales from small communities to large deployments with supported production setups

Use Cases

• Running a private or community Matrix chat server with federation support
• Operating an enterprise messaging backend for Matrix clients (including Element)
• Hosting regulated or controlled-communication deployments with central administration

Limitations and Considerations

• Requires careful operational tuning for larger instances (database, caching, and workers)
• Feature completeness can depend on Matrix spec evolution and enabled server modules

Synapse is widely used in the Matrix ecosystem and is actively maintained, providing a stable foundation for self-managed, interoperable real-time communications. It is typically deployed alongside a reverse proxy and other Matrix components depending on the desired feature set.

Converse.js is a modern, feature-rich XMPP (Jabber) chat client that runs entirely in the web browser. It can be deployed as a full-page web app or embedded into existing websites as an overlay or inline widget.

Key Features

• Multiple UI modes: full-page app, overlay chat boxes, or embedded components
• Direct messages and multi-user chat rooms (MUC)
• OMEMO end-to-end encryption (server support required)
• Message features such as corrections, retractions, moderation, reactions, and styling
• HTTP File Upload support for file sharing (server support required)
• Desktop notifications and presence/status indicators
• Extensive XMPP protocol support (wide range of XEPs)
• Plugin-based architecture for customization and extensions
• Internationalization with many community translations

Use Cases

• Add an embeddable chat widget to a community or support website backed by an XMPP server
• Provide a browser-based client for an organization’s existing XMPP/Jabber infrastructure
• Host secure group chat rooms with moderation features for teams or public communities

Limitations and Considerations

• Feature availability depends on the connected XMPP server and enabled XEP support (for example, OMEMO, file upload, URL previews)

Converse.js is a strong option for anyone needing a standards-based web chat client with flexible embedding options. Its broad XMPP support and extensibility make it suitable for both simple deployments and deep integrations.

Ergo (formerly Oragono) is a modern IRC server daemon written in Go. It combines an IRCd with built-in services functionality to provide accounts, persistent history, and bouncer-like behavior in a single deployable server.

Key Features

• IRC server daemon (ircd) designed to be simple to set up and operate
• Integrated account management and channel registration/services-style commands
• Persistent message history and bouncer-like user experience without separate software
• Strong IRCv3 support, suitable for modern IRC clients and networks
• Highly customizable, runtime-reloadable YAML configuration (rehashable config)
• SASL authentication support for automatic account login from clients

Use Cases

• Hosting a private or community IRC network with modern IRCv3 features
• Running an IRC server with built-in accounts and registered channels without extra services
• Providing persistent history for users across reconnects without an external bouncer

Ergo is a strong choice for running an IRC network that needs modern protocol capabilities while keeping operations straightforward. Its integrated approach reduces the need to deploy separate services components for many common IRC network needs.

Openfire is an open source real-time collaboration server that implements the XMPP (Jabber) protocol for instant messaging and presence. It is designed to be straightforward to deploy and administer while supporting scalable, standards-based messaging.

Key Features

• XMPP server for messaging, presence, and roster management
• Web-based administration console for configuration and user management
• Multi-User Chat (MUC) support for group chatrooms
• Extensible plugin architecture to add features and integrations
• TLS support and configurable authentication options for secure deployments

Use Cases

• Self-hosted team chat infrastructure based on open standards (XMPP)
• Embedding XMPP messaging in custom applications and products
• Running private group chat services for communities, schools, or organizations

Openfire is a mature XMPP server with an active ecosystem, making it a solid choice for standards-based messaging deployments that need extensibility and administrative control.

Nextcloud Talk is a privacy-respecting, self-hosted communication platform that combines chat, video conferencing, and webinars in a single Nextcloud app. It supports on-premises deployment and federated collaboration across Nextcloud servers, with end-to-end encrypted calls and deep integration with other Nextcloud apps.

Key Features

• Threaded conversations with AI chat and call summaries
• End-to-end encrypted calls for private communication
• Federated chat and video calls across Nextcloud hubs and servers
• Webinars and presentations with screen sharing and participant controls
• Private, group and public calls with external participants via shareable links
• Tight integration with Nextcloud Files, Calendar and other apps for unified workflows
• Bridging with other networks via Nextcloud Bridging (e.g., IRC, Slack, Teams, Matrix)

Use Cases

• Hybrid teams needing private, on-premises collaboration across chat, calls and webinars
• Environments requiring GDPR/compliance and air-gap/self-hosted deployment
• Organizations collaborating across multiple Nextcloud servers or bridged networks

Limitations and Considerations

• NAT traversal often requires a TURN server for reliable media in restricted networks; behind symmetric NATs this becomes more critical
• Large-scale deployments usually need High Performance Backend (HPB) for thousands of participants; private setups typically handle dozens of calls depending on capacity
• Some advanced features depend on specific server components or configurations and may require additional infrastructure

Conclusion: Nextcloud Talk offers a privacy-first, self-hosted alternative for integrated chat, calls and webinars within the Nextcloud ecosystem. It emphasizes data control, security and federated collaboration, with deployment paths suitable for small teams up to large enterprises.

Stoat is an open-source chat and community platform (formerly known as Revolt) that provides text channels, direct messages, role/permission controls, moderation tools, and rich media support. The project is implemented as a modular Rust backend with companion services and a web-native client, designed for self-hosting and community-focused deployments.

Key Features

• Modular Rust-based backend split into multiple crates (REST API, WebSocket events, file server, proxy, daemons) for separation of responsibilities and scalability.
• Deployable with Docker Compose and Nix; includes Dockerfile and compose examples for local and production deployment environments.
• Integrates common infra components documented in the repo: MongoDB for primary storage, Redis for transient/cache needs, MinIO (S3-compatible) for file storage, and RabbitMQ for messaging/queues.
• Provides WebSocket and REST APIs, presence and event servers, a file server with S3-compatible storage handling, and Tenor proxy support for GIFs.
• Web and desktop clients are supported; the repository and docs reference a web client workflow (build with Node/Yarn tooling) and platform downloads.
• Fine-grained permissions, moderation and bot support aimed at community management; emphasis on privacy and GDPR-aligned practices.

Use Cases

• Host community servers for gaming, hobby, or interest groups requiring channel-based chat and moderation tools.
• Private team or organization chat deployments with self-hosted infrastructure and custom integrations.
• Custom deployments that need S3-compatible file storage, event-driven messaging, and WebSocket-based real-time updates.

Limitations and Considerations

• Real-time voice/video features have historically been limited or under active development; audio/voice support may be experimental or staged and can require additional infrastructure (example configs reference LiveKit).
• Federation with external networks is not implemented by default and has been indicated as low priority; cross-server federation is not a built-in feature.
• Self-hosting requires multiple supporting services (MongoDB, Redis, MinIO, RabbitMQ) and moderate operational knowledge; resource and orchestration planning is necessary for larger deployments.

Stoat is a production-focused, open-source alternative to proprietary chat platforms, built primarily in Rust with container-first deployment patterns. It targets communities and teams that want control over their data and infrastructure while providing modern chat features.

Movim is a federated blogging and messaging platform that acts as a web frontend for the XMPP protocol. It combines social posting features with real-time chat and group conversations in a responsive, cross-platform web interface.

Key Features

• Web-based XMPP client with real-time 1:1 and group chat
• Federated social network features: posts, comments, likes, mentions, and communities
• Search across posts, chatrooms, communities, tags, and people
• Push notifications for social interactions and mentions
• Public chatrooms and private group chats with member invitations
• Account connectivity features to integrate other chat accounts
• Personalization options such as dark mode and accent color
• Multilingual interface with extensive translation coverage

Use Cases

• Run a community hub that blends XMPP chatrooms with social posting
• Provide a modern web client for an existing XMPP server deployment
• Host private group collaboration spaces backed by XMPP

Movim is a strong fit when you want XMPP-based messaging paired with a lightweight, federated social experience accessible from any modern browser.

Stoat (formerly Revolt) is an open-source chat and community messaging platform with text channels and direct messages. It can be deployed on your own infrastructure as a full stack including the backend, web client, file server, and supporting services.

Key Features

• Text channels and direct messages for teams and communities
• Roles and fine-grained permissions for access control
• Moderation tooling for managing communities
• Bot support for automation and integrations
• File handling via a dedicated file server with optional S3-compatible storage
• Docker Compose-based deployment with a bundled reverse proxy

Use Cases

• Self-hosted alternative to proprietary team chat for small organizations
• Community chat server with moderation and permission controls
• Private group messaging for clubs, classrooms, or project teams

Limitations and Considerations

• Voice channels are not included in the provided self-hosting guide and are under rework
• Some deployment constraints may apply to available web client builds depending on architecture

Stoat is suited to users who want a modern chat experience with community features while keeping control of deployment and data. Its modular stack and containerized setup make it practical to operate on a VPS or dedicated server.

SAMA is an open-source messaging server designed as a modern alternative to legacy chat protocols. It provides real-time WebSocket and HTTP APIs for users, conversations, messages, activities and address books, and ships with reference web and mobile clients.

Key Features

• High-performance WebSocket core powered by uWebSockets.js for low-latency messaging
• REST and real-time APIs covering Users, Conversations, Messages, Activities, Address Book and Push Notifications
• Persistent storage using MongoDB and ephemeral/state features backed by Redis (presence, caching/pubsub)
• End-to-end encryption support and built-in push notification flows
• Clustering and horizontal scaling primitives for multi-node deployments
• Docker-friendly deployment and reference frontend (web) and Flutter mobile clients
• GPL-3.0 licensed project with an emphasis on a compact, modern protocol alternative to XMPP

Use Cases

• Add real-time chat, group conversations and activity streams to mobile and web applications
• Build team chat or community messaging platforms with end-to-end encryption and push notifications
• Implement lightweight, scalable messaging backends for consumer or enterprise apps requiring low latency

Limitations and Considerations

• Uses a custom SAMA protocol (designed as an alternative to XMPP) which has a smaller ecosystem and fewer third-party clients
• GPL-3.0 license can restrict embedding into proprietary products without complying with license terms
• High-concurrency deployments require tuning and appropriate resources for uWebSockets.js, MongoDB and Redis

SAMA is a focused chat server for teams and apps that need a high-performance, modern messaging backend. It is suitable for projects that can adopt its protocol and license model and want a Docker-friendly, scalable real-time messaging stack.

Prosody IM is a modern XMPP (Jabber) communication server focused on being lightweight, easy to configure, and efficient with system resources. It provides a flexible, modular platform for running private chat infrastructure and extending XMPP with custom functionality.

Key Features

• Standards-based XMPP server supporting a wide range of desktop and mobile XMPP clients
• Modular architecture for enabling features and adding custom extensions via modules
• Federation with other XMPP servers to participate in the open XMPP network
• Designed for low resource usage and straightforward configuration
• Developer-friendly platform for rapidly prototyping new protocol features

Use Cases

• Host private chat for a company, community, family, or homelab
• Run a federated messaging service that connects to other XMPP-compatible servers
• Build custom XMPP functionality (bots, integrations, experimental protocol extensions)

Prosody IM is a strong fit when you want control over messaging data and a mature, open protocol with broad client support. Its Lua-based modular design makes it especially suitable for operators and developers who value simplicity and extensibility.

Conduit is a lightweight, open-source Matrix homeserver implemented in Rust. It targets easy setup and low system requirements by shipping as a single binary with an embedded database (RocksDB by default) while also supporting a SQLite backend for smaller installations. (conduit.rs)

Key Features

• Single self-contained binary for simple deployment and low overhead.
• Implemented in Rust and built on Ruma and the axum web framework for modularity and performance. (gitlab.com)
• Default RocksDB storage engine with an optional SQLite backend; configurable cache and DB tuning options. (famedly.gitlab.io)
• Docker and systemd packaging examples and deployment guides; configuration via a conduit.toml file (TOML-based). (famedly.gitlab.io)
• Focus on core Matrix features with ongoing improvements and a changelog documenting protocol/version updates and fixes. (conduit.rs)

Use Cases

• Small personal or family Matrix homeserver on low-resource hardware (Raspberry Pi, single-board computers).
• Lightweight team or community chat server that needs easy setup and minimal maintenance overhead.
• Developers and administrators who prefer a single-binary Rust implementation for embedding or custom deployments.

Limitations and Considerations

• Project is marked beta: some Matrix features and federation edge-cases are incomplete (examples historically include certain E2EE federation behaviors and outgoing presence/read-receipt handling). Users should evaluate feature gaps against their needs before production use. (github.com)

Conduit provides a compact, Rust-native alternative to heavier Matrix homeservers, prioritizing simplicity, performance, and low resource usage while continuing to close feature gaps and improve federation behavior.

Salut à Toi (SàT) is a modular communication platform built on the XMPP standard. It provides a unified backend with multiple user interfaces (including the Libervia web client) to access messaging and other social features in a decentralized way.

Key Features

• XMPP-based federated communication with a plugin-oriented architecture
• Multiple frontends sharing the same backend (notably the Libervia web interface)
• Real-time messaging features designed for decentralized and interoperable deployments
• Extensible feature set through backend plugins to add new capabilities

Use Cases

• Hosting a federated chat and communication service for a community or organization
• Building custom XMPP-powered apps by extending the backend with plugins
• Providing users with web-based access to XMPP services via Libervia

Limitations and Considerations

• Feature availability and user experience can vary between frontends depending on implementation maturity
• Requires familiarity with XMPP concepts and server administration for best results

Salut à Toi is a good fit for teams and communities that want an extensible, standards-based communication stack with federation. Its multi-frontend approach makes it flexible for different user workflows while keeping a single backend core.

Libervia is a modular communication and social platform built on the XMPP protocol. It provides a shared backend and multiple frontends (including a web interface) to deliver messaging and social features in a unified, extensible system.

Key Features

• XMPP-based architecture leveraging the open, federated messaging ecosystem
• Multiple user interfaces, including a web frontend (Libervia Web)
• Real-time chat and contact management via XMPP
• Social features often associated with "social networking" use cases (implemented through XMPP extensions)
• Extensible, plugin-oriented design to add or customize features

Use Cases

• Run a self-managed team chat and messaging service using XMPP
• Provide a federated communication platform for communities or organizations
• Build custom XMPP-powered apps by extending the backend and exposing tailored frontends

Limitations and Considerations

• Feature availability can depend on XMPP server support and enabled XMPP extensions
• A full deployment typically involves multiple components (backend, XMPP server, and chosen frontends)

Libervia is best suited for users who want an open-protocol communication stack with the flexibility of multiple interfaces. Its XMPP foundation and modular design make it a strong choice for extensible, federated messaging and social functionality.