# ejabberd vs NodeBB

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

| | ejabberd | NodeBB |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 72/100 | 73/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #5 of 110 in Chat | #4 of 69 in Social Networks & Forums |
| GitHub stars | 6 749 | 15 243 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +16 | +18 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 6 | 31 ✓ |
| Latest release | 26.09 · 29 Sept 2026 | v4.16.5 · 28 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Other | GPL-3.0 |
| Main language | Erlang | JavaScript |

## Which one should you pick?

NodeBB scores 73/100 against 72/100 for ejabberd, so it is the safer default.

NodeBB ships more often: 31 stable releases in the past year, against 6 for ejabberd.

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

## Details

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

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