# netbird vs NetworkOptimizer

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

| | netbird | NetworkOptimizer |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 81/100 ✓ | 56/100 |
| Rank in category | #2 of 56 in VPN | #17 of 48 in Network Monitoring |
| GitHub stars | 30 302 ✓ | 1 210 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +834 | — |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 40 ✓ | 22 |
| Latest release | v0.81.5 · 26 Oct 2026 | v2.10.2 · 26 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Other | Other |
| Main language | Go | C# |

## Which one should you pick?

netbird scores 81/100 against 56/100 for NetworkOptimizer, so it is the safer default.

netbird ships more often: 40 stable releases in the past year, against 22 for NetworkOptimizer.

netbird is growing faster right now (+834 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [netbird](https://selfhost.directory/project/netbird) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/netbird.md)
- [NetworkOptimizer](https://selfhost.directory/project/networkoptimizer) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/networkoptimizer.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/netbird-vs-networkoptimizer