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Tuwunel vs Synapse: catalog facts
Tuwunel	Synapse
Free Free and open source under the Apache 2.0 license.	Free Free under the AGPL; Element sells commercial licenses, support subscriptions and ESS Pro.
Linux, Self-hosted	Self-hosted
Lightweight Rust alternative to Synapse Works with existing Matrix clients, bridges and bots	Reference Matrix homeserver maintained by Element Works with any Matrix client
Some niche parts of the Matrix specification are not implemented Running a homeserver requires a server and domain setup	Running a homeserver takes server administration work No support from Element without a paid subscription
Downloadable app, Self-hosted	Self-hosted
Open source	Open source
License: Apache-2.0	License: AGPL-3.0
No account 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 24, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026

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