# croc vs NodeBB

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

| | croc | NodeBB |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 82/100 ✓ | 73/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 11 in File Transfer & Sync | #4 of 69 in Social Networks & Forums |
| GitHub stars | 40 798 ✓ | 15 243 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +355 ✓ | +18 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 48 ✓ | 31 |
| Latest release | v11.5.5 · 19 Oct 2026 | v4.16.5 · 28 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Easy ✓ | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Main language | Go | JavaScript |

## Which one should you pick?

croc scores 82/100 against 73/100 for NodeBB, so it is the safer default.

croc ships more often: 48 stable releases in the past year, against 31 for NodeBB.

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

croc is growing faster right now (+355 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [croc](https://selfhost.directory/project/croc) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/croc.md)
- [NodeBB](https://selfhost.directory/project/nodebb) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/nodebb.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/croc-vs-nodebb