Snikket is a free, open-source XMPP messaging server for small communities. See features, self-hosting details, apps, and managed hosting pricing from about…
Snikket is a free and open-source private messaging platform built on top of the XMPP protocol, packaged specifically to make self-hosted, federated chat approachable for small communities, families, and teams rather than only technical XMPP hobbyists.
Rather than building a new protocol from scratch, Snikket assembles proven open-source XMPP components, most notably the Prosody server and the Conversations Android client, into a coherent product with its own apps, onboarding flow, and Docker-based installer.
The project was unveiled in 2020 at FOSDEM and has since grown to offer native apps for Android and iOS alongside its server software, positioning itself as a privacy-respecting alternative to centralized, ad-funded messaging platforms.
At its core, Snikket provides one-to-one and group messaging, file sharing, and voice and video calling, all protected with modern TLS encryption between clients and servers.
A distinguishing feature is 'circles,' which let administrators organize users into groups for easier discovery and communication inside a community, without exposing a full public directory to the wider XMPP network.
Because Snikket speaks standard XMPP, it federates with other compatible servers, meaning users are not locked into a single provider and can, in principle, communicate across independently operated Snikket or XMPP instances.
Snikket is free and open source for anyone willing to self-host it using the provided Docker images; there is no license fee for the software itself.
For people who prefer not to manage their own server, Snikket offers an official managed hosting service. Pricing is calculated per instance based on region, currency, and billing frequency, but is described by the project as roughly six US dollars or less per month for an instance supporting up to ten active users, with a 14-day free trial before billing begins.
Snikket explicitly states that using its hosting service is optional and will always remain optional, and hosted customers can request their data and migrate to a self-hosted instance if they choose to leave the managed service.
Yes, Snikket is free and open source if you self-host it. An optional managed hosting service is also available for roughly six dollars or less per month.
Snikket is built on XMPP (Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol), using the Prosody server under the hood with Snikket-specific modules.
Yes. Snikket supports group messaging and uses a 'circles' feature to help communities organize and discover contacts.
Snikket protects communication with modern TLS encryption between clients and the server.
Yes. Because Snikket uses standard XMPP, it federates with other compatible XMPP servers, so users are not locked into a single provider.
Snikket offers native apps for Android and iOS, with a web client in development, and a self-hosted server that runs on Linux and ARM devices.
Snikket's managed hosting is priced at roughly six US dollars or less per month for an instance supporting up to ten active users, with a 14-day free trial.
Self-hosting Snikket via its Docker-based setup typically requires a domain name to configure the server and issue TLS certificates, consistent with standard XMPP server deployment.