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Nheko vs Lightning: catalog facts
Nheko	Lightning
Free The open-source software is available without a license fee. Hosting, hardware and…	Free Free and open source under GPL-3.0-or-later.
Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows, macOS, Linux
Supports encrypted conversations and platform-dependent calling features.	Supports Matrix rooms, Spaces and threaded conversations Searches encrypted rooms using a local index
The project says its encryption implementation has not been audited.	The project is in beta The macOS download requires Apple Silicon and macOS 26 or newer
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: GPL-3.0	License: GPL-3.0-or-later
Not stated if an account is needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Not stated if it works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 22, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 8, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.