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Comparison · Comms

Converse.js vs Rocket.Chat

A side-by-side editorial comparison of Converse.js and Rocket.Chat — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.

Converse.js vs Rocket.Chat: at a glance

FeatureConverse.jsRocket.Chat
SectorCommsComms
Velocity score2.56.3
Sparks · 30d00
Top themesxmpp, omemo-encryption, e2e-usability, browser-clientteam-chat, licensing, self-hosted, performance
Last editorial update11d ago4d ago
WebsiteVisit →Visit →

What is Converse.js?

Converse.js 14.0.1 fixes OMEMO:2 group decryption broken by Chromium 153.

Converse.js shipped 14.0.0 in June with OMEMO:2, the current revision of XMPP's end-to-end encryption, plus fixes that make encryption state and errors visible. 14.0.1 in October fixes OMEMO:2 group messages that stopped decrypting in Chromium 153, a bug that also skipped a sender check.

Read the full Converse.js trajectory →

What is Rocket.Chat?

Rocket.Chat 9.0 reaches rc.8 with a migration fix as candidates shrink to single patches.

The 9.0 candidate line opened on 27 October with a licensing change: LDAP, SAML and Custom OAuth now require a premium plan. Since rc.4 the candidates have been fixes, and rc.8 on 7 November carries a single one: servers that started during another server's database migration no longer keep stale settings until restart. On 6 November 8.9.1 LTS backported the 9.0 load fixes plus a security hotfix.

Read the full Rocket.Chat trajectory →

Converse.js vs Rocket.Chat: editorial side-by-side

C2.5

Converse.js 14.0.1 fixes OMEMO:2 group decryption broken by Chromium 153.

◆ Current state

Converse.js shipped 14.0.0 in June with OMEMO:2, the current revision of XMPP's end-to-end encryption, plus fixes that make encryption state and errors visible. 14.0.1 in October fixes OMEMO:2 group messages that stopped decrypting in Chromium 153, a bug that also skipped a sender check.

◆ Where it's heading

The project is in a stabilisation phase on the 14 line, with encryption correctness as the main concern. Releases are months apart.

◆ Prediction

Expect further 14.0.x patches for encryption and browser compatibility; no next major is signalled.

Rocket.Chat logo6.3

Rocket.Chat 9.0 reaches rc.8 with a migration fix as candidates shrink to single patches.

◆ Current state

The 9.0 candidate line opened on 27 October with a licensing change: LDAP, SAML and Custom OAuth now require a premium plan. Since rc.4 the candidates have been fixes, and rc.8 on 7 November carries a single one: servers that started during another server's database migration no longer keep stale settings until restart. On 6 November 8.9.1 LTS backported the 9.0 load fixes plus a security hotfix.

◆ Where it's heading

9.0 is in stabilization: each candidate is smaller than the last, and the load fixes are being carried to the LTS line rather than held for the major. Native LiveKit video is being promoted step by step, from alpha to beta and now as the named default provider option.

◆ Prediction

With rc.7 down to a handful of fixes, 9.0.0 GA is the next likely release, followed by further 8.9.x LTS patches carrying the same fixes.

Alternatives to Converse.js and Rocket.Chat

Other Comms products tracked by Sparkpulse, ranked by recent ship velocity. Each card links to a full editorial trajectory and lets you pivot into a head-to-head comparison with either Converse.js or Rocket.Chat.

See all Converse.js alternatives → · See all Rocket.Chat alternatives →

Recent activity from Converse.js and Rocket.Chat

Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.

  1. 7d agoRocket.Chat9.0 rc.8: settings refresh after concurrent migrations
  2. 8d agoRocket.Chat8.9.1 LTS: load fixes from 9.0 plus a security hotfix
  3. 8d agoRocket.Chat9.0 rc.7: client memory leak fixed, LiveKit video moves to beta
  4. 9d agoRocket.Chat9.0 rc.6: Matrix federation auth header fix
  5. 9d agoRocket.Chat9.0 rc.5: removed-license features shut off, OAuth codes redacted
  6. 10d agoRocket.Chat9.0 rc.4: notifications, presence and startup fixed under load
  7. 27d agoConverse.jsRelease 14.0.1 (2026-10-17)
  8. 4mo agoConverse.jsOMEMO:2 encryption support ships in Converse 14 ⚡
  9. 4mo agoConverse.jsOMEMO bundle self-healing and new PubSub API methods
  10. 4mo agoConverse.jslibomemo.js dependency bump
  11. 4mo agoConverse.jsclient-compress replaced with native browser APIs
  12. 4mo agoConverse.jsFirst beta carrying the OMEMO usability fixes

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Converse.js and Rocket.Chat?

They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. Rocket.Chat is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 6.3 vs 2.5), with 0 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.

Is Converse.js better than Rocket.Chat?

Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. Rocket.Chat is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 6.3 vs 2.5), with 0 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other Comms products to evaluate alongside.

What are the best alternatives to Converse.js?

Top Converse.js alternatives in Comms are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Converse.js alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/converse-js for the full list with editorial commentary on each.

What are the best alternatives to Rocket.Chat?

Top Rocket.Chat alternatives in Comms are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Rocket.Chat alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/rocketchat for the full list with editorial commentary on each.