AnswervsZulip
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| Answer | Zulip | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 71/100 | 82/100 |
| Rank in category | #5 of 69 in Social Networks & Forums | #1 of 110 in Chat |
| GitHub stars | 15 701 | 26 131 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +19 | +188 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 6 | 6 |
| Latest release | v2.0.3 · 22 Sept 2026 | 12.3 · 21 Sept 2026 |
| Setup | Easy | 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 Answer, so it is the safer default.
If you want the quickest setup, Answer is easier to run; Zulip needs more configuration.
Zulip is growing faster right now (+188 stars in 30 days).
Answer details →Zulip details →