# NodeBB vs Prowlarr

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

| | NodeBB | Prowlarr |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 73/100 | 74/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #4 of 69 in Social Networks & Forums | #1 of 2 in Indexer |
| GitHub stars | 15 244 ✓ | 7 463 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +19 | +203 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 31 ✓ | 24 |
| Latest release | v4.16.5 · 28 Oct 2026 ✓ | v2.7.0.5723 · 27 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Easy ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes ✓ | No |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Main language | JavaScript | C# |

## Which one should you pick?

Prowlarr 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 24 for Prowlarr.

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

Prowlarr is growing faster right now (+203 stars in 30 days).

## Details

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

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