# EMQX vs SpacetimeDB

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

| | EMQX | SpacetimeDB |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 78/100 ✓ | 75/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 14 in Messaging | #7 of 38 in Databases |
| GitHub stars | 16 869 | 25 416 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +114 ✓ | +94 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 15 ✓ | 7 |
| Latest release | 6.3.2 · 16 Oct 2026 | v2.13.0 · 19 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Other | Other |
| Main language | Erlang | Rust |

## Which one should you pick?

EMQX scores 78/100 against 75/100 for SpacetimeDB, so it is the safer default.

EMQX ships more often: 15 stable releases in the past year, against 7 for SpacetimeDB.

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

## Details

- [EMQX](https://selfhost.directory/project/emqx) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/emqx.md)
- [SpacetimeDB](https://selfhost.directory/project/spacetimedb) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/spacetimedb.md)

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