Prosody IM review
A self-hosted XMPP server for teams and communities that want control of messaging infrastructure.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Prosody IM is an open-source XMPP communication server for organizations, communities, and individuals that want to operate their own messaging infrastructure. It supports XMPP client connections and server-to-server connections, user presence notifications, multi-user chatrooms, message archiving, and push notifications through XEP-0357. Delivery options include XMPP over TCP, BOSH connections over HTTP, and XMPP over WebSockets. Linux, macOS, and self-hosted deployments are supported, making Prosody a fit for operators who prefer to manage their own messaging service rather than adopt a hosted Chat API.
Prosody’s pricing model is open source, with a free plan and no paid tiers described. That keeps the commercial structure straightforward, but the operational responsibility remains with the organization running it. Deployment, storage, service configuration, client compatibility, and archive policies are managed by the operator. Message-history retention is configurable, with a documented default archive expiration of one week. The product therefore suits groups that can make infrastructure decisions and maintain an XMPP service; it is less suited to buyers looking for a managed subscription with vendor-operated hosting.
Its feature set covers core real-time messaging needs while leaving room for customization through an extensible module system. Presence, chatrooms, moderation tools, push notifications, archives, BOSH, and WebSockets provide a practical base for XMPP communication across clients and browser-oriented connections. Prosody should appeal to buyers seeking a focused, open-source XMPP deployment with control over configuration and retention. Buyers who need a hosted API, packaged onboarding, or a broader verified platform ecosystem should consider an alternative with those priorities.
Prosody IM pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Supports presence, chatrooms, archives, push, BOSH, and WebSockets
- Extensible module system supports operator-managed customization
- Runs on Linux, macOS, and self-hosted infrastructure
- Where it doesn't
- Requires operators to manage deployment, storage, and service configuration
- It is self-hosted rather than a vendor-hosted Chat API
- Client compatibility and platform integration depend on the operator
Prosody IM fact sheet, pricing and score →
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
Last updated · How we research and update