NodeBBvsPostal
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| NodeBB | Postal | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 73/100 | 72/100 |
| Rank in category | #4 of 69 in Social Networks & Forums | #3 of 16 in Mail Server |
| GitHub stars | 15 243 | 16 899 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +18 | +75 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 30 | 3 |
| Latest release | v4.16.4 · 23 Oct 2026 | 3.3.7 · 3 Jun 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Advanced |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Main language | JavaScript | Ruby |
Which one should you pick?
NodeBB scores 73/100 against 72/100 for Postal, so it is the safer default.
NodeBB ships more often: 30 stable releases in the past year, against 3 for Postal.
If you want the quickest setup, NodeBB is easier to run; Postal needs more configuration.
Postal is growing faster right now (+75 stars in 30 days).
NodeBB details →Postal details →