Communication
Self-host Rocket.Chat on a VPS
A feature-rich self-hosted team chat platform.
Channels, threads, video calls and app integrations on your own servers, with bots and bridges to other chat networks.
Why self-host Rocket.Chat?
Rocket.Chat has the widest feature set of the self-hosted chat tools, so teams moving off Slack lose the least by switching.
How to install Rocket.Chat
- 1
Provision a VPS
Choose a plan with room for your data as well as the app.
- 2
Install the stack
Install Node.js + MongoDB + React.
- 3
Deploy the application
Follow the project’s official install guide for your distribution.
- 4
Enable HTTPS
Serve it on your own domain behind a reverse proxy with a certificate.
- 5
Back it up
Schedule a database dump plus a copy of any uploaded files to an off-box location.
Practical tips
- Give Rocket.Chat its own database user with rights only on its own schema.
- Reverse-proxy Rocket.Chat and terminate TLS at the proxy so certificates are managed in one place.
- Take a VPS snapshot before major upgrades so you can roll back cleanly.
- Keep Rocket.Chat patched — most self-hosting incidents are unpatched software.
Frequently asked questions
- How much RAM does Rocket.Chat need?
- Plan on 2–4 GB for typical use; add headroom if you expect many concurrent users.
- What stack does Rocket.Chat run on?
- Node.js + MongoDB + React.
- Can I run other things on the same VPS?
- Yes — size the plan so Rocket.Chat plus your other workloads fit in RAM with room to spare.
Looking for something else? Popular alternatives include Mattermost, Zulip, Matrix/Synapse — browse all app guides.