# elasticsearch vs zusam

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

| | elasticsearch | zusam |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 84/100 ✓ | 44/100 |
| Rank in category | #2 of 41 in Search Engines | #58 of 69 in Social Networks & Forums |
| GitHub stars | 78 428 ✓ | 223 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +448 ✓ | +0 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 32 ✓ | 2 |
| Latest release | v9.5.5 · 6 Oct 2026 ✓ | 0.6.1 · 2 Mar 2026 |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Other | AGPL-3.0 |
| Main language | Java | PHP |

## Which one should you pick?

elasticsearch scores 84/100 against 44/100 for zusam, so it is the safer default.

elasticsearch ships more often: 32 stable releases in the past year, against 2 for zusam.

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

elasticsearch is growing faster right now (+448 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [elasticsearch](https://selfhost.directory/project/elasticsearch) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/elasticsearch.md)
- [zusam](https://selfhost.directory/project/zusam) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/zusam.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/elasticsearch-vs-zusam