# CTFd vs K16S

> Two self-hosted [Education projects](https://selfhost.directory/education), compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.

| | CTFd | K16S |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 70/100 ✓ | 43/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 30 in Education | #22 of 30 in Education |
| GitHub stars | 6 893 ✓ | 226 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +43 | — |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 9 ✓ | 0 |
| Latest release | 3.8.9 · 22 Oct 2026 | — |
| Setup | Easy ✓ | Advanced |
| Official Docker image | Yes ✓ | No |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Other |
| Main language | Python | Shell |

## Which one should you pick?

CTFd scores 70/100 against 43/100 for K16S, so it is the safer default.

CTFd ships more often: 9 stable releases in the past year, against 0 for K16S.

If you want the quickest setup, CTFd is easier to run; K16S needs more configuration.

CTFd is growing faster right now (+43 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [CTFd](https://selfhost.directory/project/ctfd) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/ctfd.md)
- [K16S](https://selfhost.directory/project/k16s-exam-simulator) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/k16s-exam-simulator.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/ctfd-vs-k16s-exam-simulator