Revolt

Best Self-hosted Alternatives to Revolt

A curated collection of the 3 best self hosted alternatives to Revolt.

Revolt is a hosted community and team chat platform providing servers, channels, direct messages, voice chat, bots and integrations. It delivers real-time text and voice communication similar to Discord, with a cloud-hosted option and extensible bot support.

Alternatives List

#1
Tinode

Tinode

Tinode is an open source instant messaging platform with a Go backend, web/mobile clients, JSON WebSocket and gRPC APIs, and support for one-to-one and group chat.

Tinode screenshot

Tinode is a full-stack instant messaging platform designed for building modern chat applications. It provides a Go-based server, official clients for web and mobile, and APIs that support custom integrations such as chatbots and automated agents.

Key Features

  • One-to-one messaging, group chats, and broadcast-style channels with read-only subscribers
  • Real-time delivery, read receipts, typing indicators, and presence notifications
  • Rich message content: markdown-style formatting, inline media, and file attachments
  • Voice and video calls, plus voice messages
  • Granular per-topic access control and server-side blocking controls
  • Extensible architecture with plugins for features like moderation and chatbots
  • JSON over WebSocket (with optional long polling) and Protobuf over gRPC
  • Pluggable database layer with support for PostgreSQL, MySQL/MariaDB, and MongoDB
  • Media/file handling via local filesystem or S3-compatible storage backends

Use Cases

  • Building a custom consumer or community chat app (mobile + web)
  • Adding in-app messaging, support chat, or anonymous chat to a product
  • Developing bot-driven workflows and integrations using the messaging APIs

Limitations and Considerations

  • Federation and end-to-end encryption are listed as planned features and may not be available
  • Some advanced capabilities (for example, full-text message search) are planned rather than included by default

Tinode fits teams that want an embeddable messaging backend with strong real-time features and multiple official clients. Its API options and extensibility make it suitable for both standalone chat products and messaging features inside existing applications.

13.1kstars
2kforks
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#2
Tailchat

Tailchat

Tailchat is an open source team chat and collaboration platform with a strong plugin system, bot integrations, multi-group workspaces, and RBAC permissions.

Tailchat screenshot

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.

3.5kstars
388forks
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#3
Stoat

Stoat

Stoat is an open-source, self-hostable chat platform for communities and teams, offering text channels, permissions, moderation tools, and a web app.

Stoat screenshot

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.

2.7kstars
304forks
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Why choose an open source alternative?

  • •Data ownership: Keep your data on your own servers
  • •No vendor lock-in: Freedom to switch or modify at any time
  • •Cost savings: Reduce or eliminate subscription fees
  • •Transparency: Audit the code and know exactly what's running