# EMQX vs Apache SkyWalking

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

| | EMQX | Apache SkyWalking |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 78/100 ✓ | 76/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 14 in Messaging | #2 of 9 in Application Performance Monitoring |
| GitHub stars | 16 869 | 24 978 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +114 ✓ | +4 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 15 ✓ | 3 |
| Latest release | 6.3.2 · 16 Oct 2026 ✓ | v11.0.0 · 28 Aug 2026 |
| Setup | Advanced ✓ | Advanced |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Other | Apache-2.0 |
| Main language | Erlang | Java |

## Which one should you pick?

EMQX scores 78/100 against 76/100 for Apache SkyWalking, so it is the safer default.

EMQX ships more often: 15 stable releases in the past year, against 3 for Apache SkyWalking.

EMQX is growing faster right now (+114 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [EMQX](https://selfhost.directory/project/emqx) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/emqx.md)
- [Apache SkyWalking](https://selfhost.directory/project/skywalking) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/skywalking.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/emqx-vs-skywalking