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XMPP Review

Depends

Should I use XMPP?

The universal messaging standard - xmpp.org

· 1 week ago

Choose XMPP if you want free, federated, self-hosted messaging and can run and harden a server. Skip it if you want polished turnkey team chat — Slack or Matrix/Element fit better.

Confidence

Medium. Based on 30+ public sources; many review snippets were truncated, so sentiment is directional.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support quality
  • Security posture

Pricing

Free

Open standard

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes

Best for

  • Privacy-focused self-hosters
  • Developers embedding chat in apps
  • Orgs wanting federated, vendor-neutral messaging
  • Anyone avoiding Big Tech chat platforms

Not for

  • Teams wanting Slack-style polished chat out of the box
  • Non-technical buyers — it's a protocol, not a supported product
  • Anyone unwilling to run and harden a server
  • Users expecting every feature in one official client

Gotchas - check before you buy

high

Roughly 50–70 clients exist; none has every feature, and switching between them is messy.

high

Misconfigured servers are an under-appreciated attack surface — audit before trusting.

medium

Not a product: support quality depends entirely on which server or provider you pick.

medium

An XMPP-based messenger was reportedly wiretapped in 2023; vet providers carefully.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Users keep control of their own personal information.
  • Free, open standard — no vendor lock-in.
  • Proven 25-year-old protocol, strategic again.
  • Wide choice of providers and clients, no single gatekeeper.

Cons

  • Fragmented client ecosystem; no app has all features.
  • Critics say Matrix has replaced it.
  • Security depends entirely on correct server configuration.
  • Often overlooked; smaller mainstream adoption.

Sources & method

- 12 sources - Protocol supports encryption, but real-world risk is misconfigured servers and buggy client implementations.

official x3review x6security x2news x1
  • CVE-2017-5591: Message Carbons leak, Incorrect XEP-0280 implementation sent message copies to unintended recipients.
  • CVE-2022-20917: Cisco Jabber XSS, Attacker could exploit XSS in Cisco Jabber's XMPP message handling.
  • Misconfigured servers as attack surface, Bishop Fox documented widespread XMPP misconfigurations exposing servers.
  • Reported wiretapping (2023), Researchers uncovered wiretapping of an XMPP-based instant messenger.

Key stats

  • Value for money: 5/5

    Rating

  • Free

    Starting price

  • 12

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 5/5. Free open standard; you pay only hosting
  • Ease of use: 2/5. Fragmented clients, self-hosting burden
  • Feature depth: 3/5. Extensible via XEPs; uneven client support
  • Support quality: 2/5. Community-run foundation, no vendor SLA
  • Security posture: 3/5. Solid when configured; misconfigurations common
  • 25+ years Protocol age Originated as Jabber
  • Free Cost Open standard, no license
  • 50–70 Client choices Per r/selfhosted estimate
  • 42 G2 reviews Ignite Realtime XMPP suite

Pricing

Open standard

Free

  • Protocol and XEP extensions are free
  • Pay only hosting and admin time
  • Some vendors sell supported servers

Security

Protocol supports encryption, but real-world risk is misconfigured servers and buggy client implementations.

  • CVE-2017-5591: Message Carbons leakIncorrect XEP-0280 implementation sent message copies to unintended recipients.
  • CVE-2022-20917: Cisco Jabber XSSAttacker could exploit XSS in Cisco Jabber's XMPP message handling.⁴
  • Misconfigured servers as attack surfaceBishop Fox documented widespread XMPP misconfigurations exposing servers.³
  • Reported wiretapping (2023)Researchers uncovered wiretapping of an XMPP-based instant messenger.⁵

What users say

Users praise XMPP's simplicity and data control but complain about client fragmentation and say rivals like Matrix have overtaken it.

“XMPP is the pinnacle of chat that just works”
Hacker News
“XMPP had its run and is dead, replaced by Matrix.”
Hacker News
“XMPP is simple, reliable”
Reddit, r/explainlikeimfive

Alternatives

Compare XMPP with each alternative.

  • Matrix / Element

    Newer federated standard; critics say it replaced XMPP.

  • Snikket

    Easiest self-hosted XMPP; recommended in privacy communities.

    XMPP vs Snikket

  • Slack

    Guess: simpler turnkey team chat if federation doesn't matter.

    XMPP vs Slack

Companies that use it

  • Zoom
  • Cisco
Full analysis

Based on 30+ public sources; many review snippets were truncated, so sentiment is directional.

Free 25-year-old open chat protocol. Great for self-hosters; overkill vs Slack/Matrix if you just want chat that works.

Methodology

Based on 30+ public sources; many review snippets were truncated, so sentiment is directional.

Read how a report is made.

Sources

  1. XMPP: When a 25-Year-Old Protocol Becomes Strategic Againprocess-one.net
    official
  2. XMPP FAQxmpp.org
    official
  3. XMPP: An Under-appreciated Attack Surfacebishopfox.com
    security
  4. CVE-2022-20917: Cisco Jabber XSS Vulnerabilitysentinelone.com
    security
  5. Researchers Uncover Wiretapping of XMPP-Based Instant Messengerthehackernews.com
    news
  6. How many XMPP clients have you actually outlasted?reddit.com
    review
  7. Why Isn't There an XMPP Client That Has All The Featuresreddit.com
    review
  8. XMPP had its run and is dead, replaced by Matrixnews.ycombinator.com
    review
  9. XMPP is a solution that allows users control over their datamedium.com
    review
  10. XMPP Providers projectproviders.xmpp.net
    official
  11. Ignite Realtime Products G2 reviewsg2.com
    review
  12. AstraChat vs Element comparisong2.com
    review

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