# NodeBB vs PufferPanel

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

| | NodeBB | PufferPanel |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 73/100 ✓ | 63/100 |
| Rank in category | #4 of 69 in Social Networks & Forums | #15 of 62 in Game Servers |
| GitHub stars | 15 243 ✓ | 1 762 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +18 ✓ | +15 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 31 ✓ | 10 |
| Latest release | v4.16.5 · 28 Oct 2026 ✓ | v3.0.9 · 14 Jul 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Moderate ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Main language | JavaScript | Go |

## Which one should you pick?

NodeBB scores 73/100 against 63/100 for PufferPanel, so it is the safer default.

NodeBB ships more often: 31 stable releases in the past year, against 10 for PufferPanel.

## Details

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

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