# headscale vs pretalx

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

| | headscale | pretalx |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 82/100 ✓ | 62/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 31 in Networking | #2 of 3 in Conference Management |
| GitHub stars | 45 162 ✓ | 954 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +1 055 ✓ | +8 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 7 | 7 |
| Latest release | v0.29.6 · 24 Oct 2026 ✓ | v2026.2.1 · 8 Jul 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate ✓ | Advanced |
| Official Docker image | Yes ✓ | No |
| License | BSD-3-Clause | Other |
| Main language | Go | Python |

## Which one should you pick?

headscale scores 82/100 against 62/100 for pretalx, so it is the safer default.

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

headscale is growing faster right now (+1 055 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [headscale](https://selfhost.directory/project/headscale) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/headscale.md)
- [pretalx](https://selfhost.directory/project/pretalx) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/pretalx.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/headscale-vs-pretalx