mautrix-imessage

Overview

mautrix-imessage is a Matrix puppeting bridge for iMessage, written in Go and licensed under AGPL-3.0 (github.com/mautrix/imessage). It runs on a Mac signed in to iMessage and turns its chats into Matrix rooms. It has three iMessage connectors: a normal Mac (AppleScript to send, the Messages database to receive), a Mac with SIP and AMFI disabled using Barcelona, which is no longer maintained, and a BlueBubbles server. The project has no tagged releases. The last feature work landed in mid-2024, and the latest commit, a dependency update, is from May 14, 2026.

Key features

• Text, media and files in both directions, in direct and group chats
• Incoming replies, tapbacks, read receipts, group names, avatars and member changes
• Sending replies, tapbacks, read receipts and typing needs Barcelona or the BlueBubbles Private API
• Edits and unsends through BlueBubbles on macOS Ventura or later
• Start chats with a phone number or Apple ID email
• History backfill from the Mac's Messages database

Pricing

The software is free. You need a Mac signed in to iMessage, a Matrix homeserver that supports application services, and the mautrix-wsproxy websocket proxy. With a Beeper account, the bridge can be self-hosted through bbctl without running your own homeserver.

How it compares to Linq

Linq is a managed API that provides its own numbers, iMessage, RCS and SMS, signed webhooks and SDKs, with a free Hobby plan (20 contacts) and Pro from $260 a month. mautrix-imessage is free but needs your own Mac and Apple ID, has no messaging REST API or webhooks (your code uses Matrix), and on a normal Mac it only sends text and files.

Best for

Matrix users who want their own Mac's iMessage chats inside Matrix and are comfortable with a project that sees little active development.

Sources

• github.com/mautrix/imessage
• github.com/mautrix/imessage/blob/master/ROADMAP.md
• github.com/mautrix/imessage/commits/master
• github.com/mautrix/imessage/blob/master/imessage/bluebubbles/README.md
• github.com/mautrix/imessage/blob/master/imessage/bluebubbles/api.go
• github.com/mautrix/imessage/blob/master/imessage/mac-nosip/nosip.go
• github.com/mautrix/imessage/blob/master/imessage/mac/database.go
• github.com/mautrix/imessage/blob/master/imessage/mac/send.go
• github.com/mautrix/imessage/blob/master/imessage/interface.go
• github.com/mautrix/imessage/blob/master/commands.go
• github.com/mautrix/imessage/blob/master/example-config.yaml
• docs.mau.fi/bridges/go/imessage/index.html
• docs.mau.fi/bridges/go/imessage/mac/setup.html
• docs.mau.fi/bridges/go/imessage/mac-nosip/setup.html