Docker Enginevsnetbird
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| Docker Engine | netbird | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 80/100 | 81/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 11 in Container Orchestration | #2 of 56 in VPN |
| GitHub stars | 72 220 | 30 290 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +88 | +822 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 17 | 40 |
| Latest release | docker-v29.9.2 · 20 Oct 2026 | v0.81.5 · 26 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | No | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Other |
| Main language | Go | Go |
Which one should you pick?
netbird scores 81/100 against 80/100 for Docker Engine, so it is the safer default.
netbird ships more often: 40 stable releases in the past year, against 17 for Docker Engine.
If you want the quickest setup, netbird is easier to run; Docker Engine needs more configuration.
netbird is growing faster right now (+822 stars in 30 days).
Docker Engine details →netbird details →
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