FreeSBCvsNodeBB
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| FreeSBC | NodeBB | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 48/100 | 73/100 |
| Rank in category | #14 of 16 in VoIP | #4 of 69 in Social Networks & Forums |
| GitHub stars | 270 | 15 243 |
| Stars, last 30 days | — | +18 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 10 | 31 |
| Latest release | v0.6.3 · 28 Oct 2026 | v4.16.5 · 28 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | No | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Main language | Go | JavaScript |
Which one should you pick?
NodeBB scores 73/100 against 48/100 for FreeSBC, so it is the safer default.
NodeBB ships more often: 31 stable releases in the past year, against 10 for FreeSBC.
If you want the quickest setup, NodeBB is easier to run; FreeSBC needs more configuration.
NodeBB is growing faster right now (+18 stars in 30 days).
FreeSBC details →NodeBB details →