# gpt-researcher vs vanilla-cookbook

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

| | gpt-researcher | vanilla-cookbook |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 80/100 ✓ | 46/100 |
| Rank in category | #5 of 69 in AI Chat | #13 of 18 in Recipe Management |
| GitHub stars | 30 357 ✓ | 158 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +745 ✓ | +0 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 13 | 13 |
| Latest release | v3.7.0 · 26 Sept 2026 | v1.6.1 · 28 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Moderate | Easy ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Main language | Python | JavaScript |

## Which one should you pick?

gpt-researcher scores 80/100 against 46/100 for vanilla-cookbook, so it is the safer default.

If you want the quickest setup, vanilla-cookbook is easier to run; gpt-researcher needs more configuration.

gpt-researcher is growing faster right now (+745 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [gpt-researcher](https://selfhost.directory/project/gpt-researcher) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/gpt-researcher.md)
- [vanilla-cookbook](https://selfhost.directory/project/vanilla-cookbook) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/vanilla-cookbook.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/gpt-researcher-vs-vanilla-cookbook