# MeshCentral vs NodeBB

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

| | MeshCentral | NodeBB |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 74/100 ✓ | 73/100 |
| Rank in category | #2 of 23 in Remote Access | #4 of 69 in Social Networks & Forums |
| GitHub stars | 7 531 | 15 243 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +253 ✓ | +18 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 16 | 31 ✓ |
| Latest release | 1.3.1 · 23 Oct 2026 | v4.16.5 · 28 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Easy ✓ | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Main language | JavaScript | JavaScript |

## Which one should you pick?

MeshCentral scores 74/100 against 73/100 for NodeBB, so it is the safer default.

NodeBB ships more often: 31 stable releases in the past year, against 16 for MeshCentral.

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

MeshCentral is growing faster right now (+253 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [MeshCentral](https://selfhost.directory/project/meshcentral) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/meshcentral.md)
- [NodeBB](https://selfhost.directory/project/nodebb) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/nodebb.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/meshcentral-vs-nodebb