Run your own server. Your data stays on your hardware — no third-party dependencies.
Instant messaging with channels, threads, typing indicators, and media sharing.
Local accounts, central CatRealm accounts, or mixed mode — your server, your rules.
See how CatRealm stacks up against other popular communication platforms
| Feature | CatRealm | Discord | Revolt | Slack | Element | TeamSpeak 3 | TeamSpeak 6 | RootApp | Mumble |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Requires AI Scan / Government ID | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Self-Hosted | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ~ | ~ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Open Source | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ~ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Real-Time Text Chat | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Voice Chat | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Video Chat | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Screen Sharing | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Channels & Threads | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Direct Messages | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Role-Based Permissions | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ |
| File Sharing | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Custom Emojis | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Custom Themes | ✓ | ~ | ✓ | ~ | ✓ | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ |
| End-to-End Encryption | ✓ | ~ | ✗ | ~ | ✓ | ✗ | ~ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Cross-Platform (Win/Mac/Linux) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web Client | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mobile Apps | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| No License Costs | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| No User Limits | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Data Privacy (You Control Your Data) | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Flexible Authentication | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Rich Markdown Support | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | ✓ | ✗ | ~ | ✓ | ✗ |
Biased Comparison? Well of course. We made the comparison that most users want to see. Also you wanting a feature or QoL change? Make a request! We aren't afraid to add features that should not be locked behind a paywall!