# NodeBB vs OpenWA

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

| | NodeBB | OpenWA |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 73/100 | 77/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #4 of 69 in Social Networks & Forums | #2 of 19 in API Management |
| GitHub stars | 15 243 | 16 333 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +18 | +327 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 30 ✓ | 3 |
| Latest release | v4.16.4 · 23 Oct 2026 | v0.26.0 · 28 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Moderate | Easy ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Main language | JavaScript | Typescript |

## Which one should you pick?

OpenWA scores 77/100 against 73/100 for NodeBB, so it is the safer default.

NodeBB ships more often: 30 stable releases in the past year, against 3 for OpenWA.

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

OpenWA is growing faster right now (+327 stars in 30 days).

## Details

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

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