# bookwyrm vs Shlink

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

| | bookwyrm | Shlink |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 58/100 | 70/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #26 of 69 in Social Networks & Forums | #3 of 23 in URL Shortener |
| GitHub stars | 2 807 | 5 380 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +21 | +77 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 11 | 13 ✓ |
| Latest release | v0.9.3 · 9 Sept 2026 | v5.1.8 · 21 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Advanced | Easy ✓ |
| Official Docker image | No | Yes ✓ |
| License | Other | MIT |
| Main language | Python | PHP |

## Which one should you pick?

Shlink scores 70/100 against 58/100 for bookwyrm, so it is the safer default.

Shlink ships more often: 13 stable releases in the past year, against 11 for bookwyrm.

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

Shlink is growing faster right now (+77 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [bookwyrm](https://selfhost.directory/project/bookwyrm) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/bookwyrm.md)
- [Shlink](https://selfhost.directory/project/shlink) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/shlink.md)

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