# MediaMTX vs NATS

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

| | MediaMTX | NATS |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 79/100 | 80/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #3 of 118 in Media Server | #2 of 12 in Message Broker |
| GitHub stars | 20 542 | 20 956 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +290 ✓ | +191 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 18 | 18 |
| Latest release | v1.21.3 · 25 Oct 2026 | v2.14.9 · 26 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Easy ✓ | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Main language | Go | Go |

## Which one should you pick?

NATS scores 80/100 against 79/100 for MediaMTX, so it is the safer default.

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

## Details

- [MediaMTX](https://selfhost.directory/project/mediamtx) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/mediamtx.md)
- [NATS](https://selfhost.directory/project/nats) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/nats.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/mediamtx-vs-nats