# mesh-api vs OpenWA

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

| | mesh-api | OpenWA |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 43/100 | 77/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #32 of 33 in Communication | #2 of 19 in API Management |
| GitHub stars | 183 | 16 355 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | — | +349 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 0 | 3 ✓ |
| Latest release | — | v0.26.0 · 28 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Advanced | Easy ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Main language | Python | Typescript |

## Which one should you pick?

OpenWA scores 77/100 against 43/100 for mesh-api, so it is the safer default.

OpenWA ships more often: 3 stable releases in the past year, against 0 for mesh-api.

If you want the quickest setup, OpenWA is easier to run; mesh-api needs more configuration.

OpenWA is growing faster right now (+349 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [mesh-api](https://selfhost.directory/project/mesh-api) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/mesh-api.md)
- [OpenWA](https://selfhost.directory/project/openwa) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/openwa.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/mesh-api-vs-openwa