# MediaMTX vs Pharos

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

| | MediaMTX | Pharos |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 79/100 ✓ | 44/100 |
| Rank in category | #3 of 118 in Media Server | #80 of 125 in AI |
| GitHub stars | 20 539 ✓ | 241 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +287 ✓ | +0 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 18 ✓ | 0 |
| Latest release | v1.21.3 · 25 Oct 2026 | — |
| Setup | Easy ✓ | Advanced |
| Official Docker image | Yes ✓ | No |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Main language | Go | Python |

## Which one should you pick?

MediaMTX scores 79/100 against 44/100 for Pharos, so it is the safer default.

MediaMTX ships more often: 18 stable releases in the past year, against 0 for Pharos.

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

MediaMTX is growing faster right now (+287 stars in 30 days).

## Details

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

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