# Kanidm vs SimpleX Chat

> Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.

| | Kanidm | SimpleX Chat |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 67/100 | 74/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #3 of 3 in IAM | #4 of 110 in Chat |
| GitHub stars | 5 512 | 19 613 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +106 | +140 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 14 ✓ | 12 |
| Latest release | v1.11.2 · 11 Sept 2026 | v7.0.4 · 3 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | MPL-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Main language | Rust | Haskell |

## Which one should you pick?

SimpleX Chat scores 74/100 against 67/100 for Kanidm, so it is the safer default.

Kanidm ships more often: 14 stable releases in the past year, against 12 for SimpleX Chat.

If you want the quickest setup, SimpleX Chat is easier to run; Kanidm needs more configuration.

## Details

- [Kanidm](https://selfhost.directory/project/kanidm) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/kanidm.md)
- [SimpleX Chat](https://selfhost.directory/project/simplex-chat) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/simplex-chat.md)

---
Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/kanidm-vs-simplex-chat