# actions-runner-controller vs Zulip

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

| | actions-runner-controller | Zulip |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 71/100 | 82/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #7 of 28 in CI/CD | #1 of 110 in Chat |
| GitHub stars | 6 612 | 26 133 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +95 | +190 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 6 | 6 |
| Latest release | gha-runner-scale-set-0.15.1 · 23 Oct 2026 ✓ | 12.3 · 21 Sept 2026 |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Main language | Go | Python |

## Which one should you pick?

Zulip scores 82/100 against 71/100 for actions-runner-controller, so it is the safer default.

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

## Details

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

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