# cobalt vs Shlink

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

| | cobalt | Shlink |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 83/100 ✓ | 70/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 45 in Download Management | #3 of 23 in URL Shortener |
| GitHub stars | 45 601 ✓ | 5 381 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +1 791 ✓ | +78 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 0 | 13 ✓ |
| Latest release | — | v5.1.8 · 21 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Easy ✓ | Easy |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Main language | Svelte | PHP |

## Which one should you pick?

cobalt scores 83/100 against 70/100 for Shlink, so it is the safer default.

Shlink ships more often: 13 stable releases in the past year, against 0 for cobalt.

cobalt is growing faster right now (+1 791 stars in 30 days).

## Details

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

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