head to head · open source
chat vs openvidu
chat has 13,512 GitHub stars, 2,079 forks, 41 open issues and last shipped 7 days ago. openvidu has 2,129 stars, 477 forks, 103 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. chat leads on adoption by 535% (13,512 vs 2,129 stars). chat is written in Go under GPL-3.0; openvidu is written in TypeScript under Apache-2.0. chat has attracted 15% as many forks as stars, openvidu 22%. openvidu was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 1 topic tag (chat), so they are genuine substitutes rather than adjacent tools.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
← all 20902 open source comparisons
Side by side
| chat | openvidu | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 14K | ★ 2.1K |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | Go | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-09-13 | 2026-09-18 |
| Forks | ⑂ 2.1K | ⑂ 477 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick chat if
- You weight community size — 14K stars and counting
- You want the GPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Go
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick openvidu if
- You want the openvidu feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You evaluated both and openvidu fits your workflow better
About chat
Tinode is an open source, full stack instant messaging server that pairs a Go backend with native iOS, Android, web, and command line clients, built for developers and operators who want to run or federate their own messaging platform rather than rent one.
About openvidu
OpenVidu is an open source platform for building real time video and audio applications. It lives in the TypeScript, WebRTC, and collaboration software ecosystem, and it is built on LiveKit and mediasoup. The project gives teams a self hosted base for video conferencing, rooms, chat, and media workflows under an Apache 2.0 license.
read the full openvidu overview →
More in Business Software
Related comparisons
More Collaboration & Communication projects
Compare either of these against the rest of the Collaboration & Communication field.
Frequently asked questions
Is chat or openvidu more popular?
chat has 13,512 GitHub stars and openvidu has 2,129. chat has the larger community by that measure.
Are chat and openvidu free?
Both are open source. chat is licensed under GPL-3.0 and openvidu under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between chat and openvidu?
chat is written in Go and openvidu 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, chat or openvidu?
Choose chat if you want the larger community (13,512 stars) or its GPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose openvidu if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.