# Asterisk vs OpenReader

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

| | Asterisk | OpenReader |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 71/100 ✓ | 59/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 16 in VoIP | #4 of 15 in Audiobook Management |
| GitHub stars | 3 648 ✓ | 550 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +83 ✓ | +35 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 19 | 19 |
| Latest release | certified-22.8-cert5 · 19 Oct 2026 | v5.4.0 · 28 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate ✓ |
| Official Docker image | No | Yes ✓ |
| License | Other | MIT |
| Main language | C | Typescript |

## Which one should you pick?

Asterisk scores 71/100 against 59/100 for OpenReader, so it is the safer default.

If you want the quickest setup, OpenReader is easier to run; Asterisk needs more configuration.

Asterisk is growing faster right now (+83 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [Asterisk](https://selfhost.directory/project/asterisk) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/asterisk.md)
- [OpenReader](https://selfhost.directory/project/openreader) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/openreader.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/asterisk-vs-openreader