# bookwyrm vs Rocket.Chat

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

| | bookwyrm | Rocket.Chat |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 58/100 | 82/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #26 of 69 in Social Networks & Forums | #1 of 13 in Instant Messaging |
| GitHub stars | 2 807 | 46 350 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +21 | +180 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 11 | 36 ✓ |
| Latest release | v0.9.3 · 9 Sept 2026 | 8.5.4 · 16 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate ✓ |
| Official Docker image | No | Yes ✓ |
| License | Other | Other |
| Main language | Python | Typescript |

## Which one should you pick?

Rocket.Chat scores 82/100 against 58/100 for bookwyrm, so it is the safer default.

Rocket.Chat ships more often: 36 stable releases in the past year, against 11 for bookwyrm.

If you want the quickest setup, Rocket.Chat is easier to run; bookwyrm needs more configuration.

Rocket.Chat is growing faster right now (+180 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [bookwyrm](https://selfhost.directory/project/bookwyrm) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/bookwyrm.md)
- [Rocket.Chat](https://selfhost.directory/project/rocketchat) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/rocketchat.md)

## Related comparisons

- [Discourse vs Rocket.Chat](https://selfhost.directory/compare/discourse-vs-rocketchat)
- [Rocket.Chat vs Zulip](https://selfhost.directory/compare/rocketchat-vs-zulip)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/bookwyrm-vs-rocketchat