Open source messenger projects
Every project in the registry tagged messenger, ranked by real GitHub adoption.
Instant messaging platform. Backend in Go. Clients: Swift iOS, Java Android, JS webapp, scriptable command line; chatbots
Open-source customer communication platform
🌌 Your Self-hosted Comment System. | 自托管评论系统
Decentralized private messenger with chat-shared tools and games for Desktop
fast & lightweight self-hosted messenger
Related tags
Frequently asked questions
How many open source messenger projects are there?
This registry tracks 5 projects tagged messenger, with 22,517 GitHub stars between them. The most-adopted is chat at 13,508 stars.
Are these messenger projects free to use?
Yes — 4 of the 5 carry an explicit open-source licence across 3 distinct licences, so there is no licence fee. Where a project also sells a hosted or enterprise version, the self-hosted path remains free.
Which messenger project should I choose?
The list above is ranked by GitHub stars, but stars measure attention rather than fit. Check three things on each card: the licence (permissive versus copyleft), the language it is written in, and the last-push date — a high-star project that has not been pushed in a year is a liability.
Are these messenger projects still maintained?
4 of the 5 were pushed in the last 90 days, and every card shows its exact last-push date so you can see the rest. Sort your shortlist by that date before committing to a migration.