# BTCPay Server vs PanWatch

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

| | BTCPay Server | PanWatch |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 76/100 ✓ | 62/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 10 in E-commerce | #3 of 9 in Fintech |
| GitHub stars | 7 861 ✓ | 2 269 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +84 | +118 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 10 | 12 ✓ |
| Latest release | v2.4.6 · 26 Oct 2026 ✓ | 0.20.0 · 23 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Advanced | Easy ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Main language | C | Python |

## Which one should you pick?

BTCPay Server scores 76/100 against 62/100 for PanWatch, so it is the safer default.

PanWatch ships more often: 12 stable releases in the past year, against 10 for BTCPay Server.

If you want the quickest setup, PanWatch is easier to run; BTCPay Server needs more configuration.

## Details

- [BTCPay Server](https://selfhost.directory/project/btcpay-server) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/btcpay-server.md)
- [PanWatch](https://selfhost.directory/project/panwatch) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/panwatch.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/btcpay-server-vs-panwatch