# actions-runner-controller vs paperclip

> Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.

| | actions-runner-controller | paperclip |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 71/100 | 88/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #7 of 28 in CI/CD | #4 of 125 in AI |
| GitHub stars | 6 610 | 108 237 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +93 | +26 873 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 6 | 10 ✓ |
| Latest release | gha-runner-scale-set-0.15.1 · 23 Oct 2026 ✓ | v2026.1012.0 · 12 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Main language | Go | Typescript |

## Which one should you pick?

paperclip scores 88/100 against 71/100 for actions-runner-controller, so it is the safer default.

paperclip ships more often: 10 stable releases in the past year, against 6 for actions-runner-controller.

If you want the quickest setup, paperclip is easier to run; actions-runner-controller needs more configuration.

paperclip is growing faster right now (+26 873 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [actions-runner-controller](https://selfhost.directory/project/actions-runner-controller) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/actions-runner-controller.md)
- [paperclip](https://selfhost.directory/project/paperclip) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/paperclip.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/actions-runner-controller-vs-paperclip