# Docker Engine vs Paperless-ngx

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

| | Docker Engine | Paperless-ngx |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 80/100 | 86/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #1 of 11 in Container Orchestration | #3 of 46 in Document Management |
| GitHub stars | 72 220 ✓ | 47 203 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +88 | +1 247 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 17 | 26 ✓ |
| Latest release | docker-v29.9.2 · 20 Oct 2026 | v3.3.4 · 22 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate ✓ |
| Official Docker image | No | Yes ✓ |
| License | Apache-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Main language | Go | Python |

## Which one should you pick?

Paperless-ngx scores 86/100 against 80/100 for Docker Engine, so it is the safer default.

Paperless-ngx ships more often: 26 stable releases in the past year, against 17 for Docker Engine.

If you want the quickest setup, Paperless-ngx is easier to run; Docker Engine needs more configuration.

Paperless-ngx is growing faster right now (+1 247 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [Docker Engine](https://selfhost.directory/project/docker-engine) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/docker-engine.md)
- [Paperless-ngx](https://selfhost.directory/project/paperless-ngx) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/paperless-ngx.md)

---
Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/docker-engine-vs-paperless-ngx