The Openfire Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Openfire in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Openfire
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source XMPP chat server you run on your own hardware
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among team communication apps, read from Openfire’s own pages.
Made by Ignite Realtime · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Openfire’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Openfire’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.2
GPA, above 9 of the 75 other team communication apps we grade
Openfire is a real-time collaboration server built on XMPP and released under the Apache License. You install it on your own machine and connect XMPP chat clients to it. It is developed by the Ignite Realtime community and has plugins and a separate Spark desktop client.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Openfire, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It needs a separate Java runtime, there is no hosted version and the vendor offers no paid support, only a community forum.
- 1
Best for your own XMPP chat server
Openfire is a free XMPP chat server you install and run yourself, with plugins and an admin console.
- 2
It is free
Openfire has no paid plan at all. Free to download and run under the Apache License; no paid edition is listed.
- 3
It runs on 3 platforms
Windows, macOS and Linux.
- 4
XMPP server
Built on XMPP, which the project describes as the widely adopted open protocol for instant messaging.
- 5
Plugins
An archive of plugins extends the server, for example one that deploys the third-party Converse web client.
- 6
Admin console
The server is administered through a console, and plugins can be installed from it.
- 7
A 2.2 GPA, above 9 of 75
That is against the other team communication apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Openfire is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Openfire at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux
- Made by
- Ignite Realtime
- Category
- Team Communication
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for your own XMPP chat server
Openfire is a free XMPP chat server you install and run yourself, with plugins and an admin console. It needs a separate Java runtime, there is no hosted version and the vendor offers no paid support, only a community forum.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Free under the Apache License, but only useful if you host it, which needs a server. |
| Free plan and trial | A | Free outright, with no paid edition and no cap. |
| Features | C | XMPP server, plugins and admin console. The matching Spark desktop client was last updated in March 2023. |
| Ease of use | D | No rating on record. You install a server, supply a Java runtime and maintain it. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Runs on Windows, Mac and Linux servers, with plugins. Clients are separate, and no hosted version exists. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Openfire is for
- Fits if you want to run your own chat server and control the data
- Works for sysadmins already comfortable with Java and XMPP
Who it is not for
- Not for you if you do not want to maintain a server, since there is no hosted version
- Watch out: from version 4.7.0 on, no Java runtime is bundled
- Skip it if you need paid support, as only the community forum and issue tracker are listed
- Watch out: the Spark desktop client was last updated in March 2023
- Too light for end users on its own, since they need a separate chat client
Good to know
Good for
- IT teams that want to host their own chat server
- Organizations that need XMPP compatibility with existing clients
- Anyone who wants the server source under an open license
Worth knowing
- It is server software: you install and maintain it yourself. Releases from 4.7.0 on no longer bundle a Java runtime, so you install one separately.
- Installers are listed for Windows, macOS (dmg), Debian and RPM packages, and a Unix tarball. No hosted version is offered on the pages read.
- The Spark desktop client download listed was last updated in March 2023.
- Support comes from the community through the project's forums and issue tracker; the pages read list no paid support.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Openfire is free to use.
Free under the Apache License, but only useful if you host it, which needs a server.
Open source
$0
Self-hosted server under the Apache License. You supply the machine and a Java runtime.
The free plan
Free to download and run under the Apache License; no paid edition is listed.
Read from igniterealtime.org on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: macOS, Windows and Linux
Open-source XMPP chat server you run on your own hardware. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, public API, team chat.
Runs on Windows, Mac and Linux servers, with plugins.
- XMPP server
- Built on XMPP, which the project describes as the widely adopted open protocol for instant messaging.
- Plugins
- An archive of plugins extends the server, for example one that deploys the third-party Converse web client.
- Admin console
- The server is administered through a console, and plugins can be installed from it.
- Recent XMPP security work
- Project posts describe SASL2, Bind2 and FAST connection extensions and SCRAM-SHA-512-PLUS support.
- Own desktop client
- The same project publishes Spark, a cross-platform desktop chat client for organizations.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
What it works with
- Converse
- Spark
- Smack
Openfire is made by Ignite Realtime.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
9/75
Other team communication apps it is graded above
Openfire's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 9 of the 75 other team communication apps we grade, and level with 19.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 60 of 75) and worst on ease of use (D, above 1).
Openfire has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 1.7 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 76 team communication apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Openfire’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 7 of 75
- AFree plan and trialAbove 60 of 75
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 75
- DEase of useAbove 1 of 75
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 75
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 66 team communication apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Openfire is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
Openfire is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 47 of the 75 other team communication apps grade higher.
What you could not
- Chat that a whole team counts on staying up.
- Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
- It plugs into other products, Converse, Spark and Smack among them, and has an API.
- What a company asks for before it lets staff use something: roles and permissions.
- Sharing with other people, which means accounts and invitations.
What this rests on. Openfire’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
ejabberd, Mattermost, Rocket.Chat, Zulip and Matrix
The 5 tools Openfire is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.0GPA
ejabberd
Free plan · from €200/mo
- 2.4GPA
Mattermost
Free plan
Self-hosted team messaging with playbooks, calls and boards.
- Only Mattermost lists a web app.
- Only Mattermost lists iOS and Android apps.
- Mattermost also covers kanban boards, workflow automation and AI agents.
- 2.4GPA
Rocket.Chat
Free plan
Open-source, self-managed chat for security-focused teams.
- Only Rocket.Chat lists a web app.
- Only Rocket.Chat lists iOS and Android apps.
- Rocket.Chat is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- 2.8GPA
Zulip
Free plan · from $3.50/mo
Open-source team chat that organizes channels by topic.
- Only Zulip lists a web app.
- Only Zulip lists iOS and Android apps.
- Zulip also covers file sharing.
- 3.0GPA
Matrix
Free
Open, decentralized network for chat and calls.
- Only Matrix lists a web app.
- Only Matrix lists iOS and Android apps.
- Matrix is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Openfire free?
Yes. Openfire is free to use.
How much does Openfire cost?
Openfire lists one plan. Open source: $0.
What platforms does Openfire work on?
Openfire is available on Windows, macOS and Linux.
Does Openfire have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Openfire is listed for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Does Openfire have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Openfire is listed for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Is Openfire open source?
Yes. Openfire is open source, according to its own site.
Does Openfire have an API?
Yes. Openfire offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Openfire integrate with?
Openfire's listing names Converse, Spark and Smack. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Openfire?
Openfire is made by Ignite Realtime.
What are the alternatives to Openfire?
The closest alternatives to Openfire in our directory are ejabberd, Mattermost, Rocket.Chat, Zulip and Matrix.
How does Openfire compare with other team communication apps?
Openfire's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 9 of the 75 other team communication apps we grade, and level with 19.
Is Openfire good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Openfire C for value for money. Openfire has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Openfire?
Openfire is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Openfire’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Ignite Realtime's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Ignite Realtime. Prices change, so check igniterealtime.org before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Openfire, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/openfire
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Openfire: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/openfire
Know someone choosing between team communication apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/openfire/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded team communication apps after Openfire, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Team Communication Insider's GuideEvery one of the 76 team communication apps we grade, compared
- Discord Insider's GuideFree text, voice and video chat built around servers3.6 GPA
- Pumble Insider's GuideTeam chat with unlimited message history on the free plan3.6 GPA
- Zoho Cliq Insider's GuideTeam chat, calls and meetings from the Zoho suite3.4 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Openfire’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Openfire is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Ignite Realtime. Prices and plans change: check igniterealtime.org before you buy.