Campfire
A free, open-source, self-hosted group chat from 37signals that you install once on your own server.
- Verified facts
- 5 of 5
- Alternatives ranked
- 5
- Approved reviews
- 0
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About Campfire
Campfire is 37signals' simple group chat, originally sold as a one-time-purchase ONCE product and now free and open source under the MIT licence. You install it with a single command on your own machine or a cloud server, then invite people, who use it in the browser or as a mobile web app with notifications. It covers the basics well: open and private rooms, direct messages, @mentions, file sharing, search and bots through a simple HTTP API. Because it runs entirely on your server, it works on air-gapped networks and your data never leaves your control, and the installer can keep it up to date automatically. The trade-offs are deliberate: no native mobile apps, no integrations marketplace, and no import from Slack or Teams. It suits small companies and groups that want a no-subscription, self-hosted chat with minimal fuss.
Best for: Small companies and groups that want simple, free, self-hosted chat with no subscription.
Pros and cons
What works
- Free and MIT-licensed, with one-command install
- Works on air-gapped networks
- Simple, clean design that covers the essentials
Why people leave
- No native mobile apps, mobile web only
- Can't import Slack or Teams history
- Few integrations beyond a basic bot API
Top Campfire alternatives
See all 5- 1
Mattermost61.8Self-hosted with native apps, integrations and enterprise features.
- 2
Zulip58.3Open-source, self-hostable chat with topic threads and native apps.
- 3
Rocket.Chat57.8Self-hosted, open source and much more feature-rich.
- 4
Slack57.5Hosted and full-featured if self-hosting isn't a requirement.
- 5
Element48.9Self-hosted Matrix chat with encryption and native apps.
Why people left Campfire
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Campfire: common questions
Is Campfire free?
Yes. Campfire is free, open-source software that you can host yourself.
Is Campfire open source?
Yes. The source code is on GitHub at basecamp/once-campfire. You can also run it on your own server.
What platforms does Campfire run on?
Campfire is available for Self-hosted and Web.
What are the best alternatives to Campfire?
The highest-ranked Campfire alternatives right now are Mattermost, Zulip and Rocket.Chat. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.