NodeBBvsOrca
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| NodeBB | Orca | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 73/100 | 91/100 |
| Rank in category | #4 of 69 in Social Networks & Forums | #1 of 209 in AI Agents |
| GitHub stars | 15 243 | 108 815 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +18 | +8 908 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 30 | 15 |
| Latest release | v4.16.4 · 23 Oct 2026 | v1.4.243 · 28 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Easy |
| Official Docker image | Yes | No |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Main language | JavaScript | Typescript |
Which one should you pick?
Orca scores 91/100 against 73/100 for NodeBB, so it is the safer default.
NodeBB ships more often: 30 stable releases in the past year, against 15 for Orca.
If you want the quickest setup, Orca is easier to run; NodeBB needs more configuration.
Orca is growing faster right now (+8 908 stars in 30 days).
NodeBB details →Orca details →