Tinode
Open-source instant messaging platform built mobile-first
About Tinode
Tinode is an open-source, self-hostable instant messaging platform designed as a modern, privacy-respecting alternative to WhatsApp or Telegram. Built with a Go backend that scales horizontally via clustering, it features one-on-one and group messaging, video/voice calling, native iOS/Android/web clients, and a pluggable architecture supporting custom auth, chatbots, and multiple database backends. Available self-hosted or as managed cloud hosting.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Fully self-hostable with complete data ownership under GPL-3.0 license
- Multi-platform native SDKs for iOS, Android, web, CLI, and gRPC
- Scalable Go backend designed for horizontal clustering
- Rich feature parity with consumer apps including video calls and voice messages
- Extensible plugin system supporting chatbots, custom auth, and multiple databases
- Cloud tier at \u00241.50/user/month is significantly cheaper than most chat infrastructure providers
Cons
- Requires Go infrastructure knowledge for self-hosted deployments
- Small company and community with fewer integrations than Rocket.Chat or Matrix
- API documentation has gaps for edge cases and advanced configurations
- Officially described as feature-complete but potentially buggy in edge cases
- Limited built-in moderation tools compared to enterprise platforms
- RethinkDB support being deprecated — teams must migrate by 2027
Key Features
One-on-One & Group Messaging
Full messaging with editing, forwarding, replying, and pinning support
Video & Voice Calling
Built-in video and voice calls with concurrent in-call messaging
Cross-Device Sync
Native clients for web (ReactJS), iOS (Swift), Android (Java), and CLI
Scalable Go Backend
Horizontal clustering with secure WebSocket transport for large deployments
Pluggable Architecture
Custom auth backends, database adapters for MySQL/PostgreSQL/MongoDB, and gRPC chatbot API
White-Label Mobile Apps
Custom-branded iOS and Android apps on Professional and Cloud tiers
Granular Access Control
Per-topic permissions, server-side blocking, and anonymous user support
Rich Media Support
Voice messages, inline rich media, Markdown formatting, and read receipts
Admin Dashboard
TnAdmin management dashboard for server and user administration
Chatbot Integration
gRPC API with bindings for 9+ languages for building custom chatbots
Pricing
- Full server (GPL-3.0)
- Community support
- Push notifications
- Production monitoring
- Everything in Basic
- TnAdmin dashboard
- Custom-branded mobile apps
- Prioritized feature requests
- Everything in Professional
- Assisted installation
- Email & chat support
- Production issue assistance
- Managed hosting
- TnAdmin
- 5GB storage per user
- Custom-branded clients
- gRPC chatbot access
Best For
Internal Team Communication
Self-hosted alternative to Slack or Teams for privacy-conscious companies and regulated industries
Embedded In-App Chat
White-label messaging layer for SaaS products, marketplaces, or mobile apps via gRPC API
Customer Support Chat
Anonymous user support enables tech support flows without requiring user accounts
Private Community Messaging
Free self-hosted deployment for organizations wanting a private messaging platform
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