head to head · open source
Puter vs Cinny
Puter has 43,565 GitHub stars, 4,066 forks, 19 open issues and last shipped today. Cinny has 3,897 stars, 578 forks, 354 open issues and last shipped 5 days ago. Puter leads on adoption by 1,018% (43,565 vs 3,897 stars). Puter is written in TypeScript under AGPL-3.0; Cinny is written in TypeScript under AGPL-3.0. Puter has attracted 9% as many forks as stars, Cinny 15%. Puter was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| Puter | Cinny | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 44K | ★ 3.9K |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Written in | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-09-20 | 2026-09-15 |
| Forks | ⑂ 4.1K | ⑂ 578 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick Puter if
- You weight community size — 44K stars and counting
- You want the AGPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick Cinny if
- You want the Cinny feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the AGPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You evaluated both and Cinny fits your workflow better
About Puter
Puter is an open source, self hostable internet computer that delivers a full desktop environment running directly in a web browser. It functions as a cloud based operating system, integrating file storage, applications, and developer tooling into a single cohesive platform. The project lives in the browser based desktop and cloud infrastructure ecosystem, positioning itself as a free and open alternative to proprietary cloud desktop services.
read the full Puter overview →
About Cinny
Cinny is an open source Matrix client written in TypeScript under AGPL 3.0. It lives in the Matrix ecosystem and is presented as "yet another matrix client," focusing on a simple, elegant, and secure interface. Its stated goal is an instant messaging application that is easy for people and has a modern touch.
read the full Cinny overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is Puter or Cinny more popular?
Puter has 43,565 GitHub stars and Cinny has 3,897. Puter has the larger community by that measure.
Are Puter and Cinny free?
Both are open source. Puter is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Cinny under AGPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Puter and Cinny?
Puter is written in TypeScript and Cinny in TypeScript. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, Puter or Cinny?
Choose Puter if you want the larger community (43,565 stars) or its AGPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose Cinny if its feature set, stack or AGPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.