# LightRAG vs rag

> Two self-hosted [RAG projects](https://selfhost.directory/rag), compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.

| | LightRAG | rag |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 82/100 ✓ | 49/100 |
| Rank in category | #2 of 7 in RAG | #7 of 7 in RAG |
| GitHub stars | 40 397 ✓ | 466 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +562 | — |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 11 ✓ | 3 |
| Latest release | v1.5.7 · 2 Sept 2026 ✓ | v0.14.0 · 5 Jun 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate ✓ | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Main language | Python | Python |

## Which one should you pick?

LightRAG scores 82/100 against 49/100 for rag, so it is the safer default.

LightRAG ships more often: 11 stable releases in the past year, against 3 for rag.

LightRAG is growing faster right now (+562 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [LightRAG](https://selfhost.directory/project/lightrag) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/lightrag.md)
- [rag](https://selfhost.directory/project/rag) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/rag.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/lightrag-vs-rag