NodeBBvsRocket.Chat
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| NodeBB | Rocket.Chat | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 73/100 | 82/100 |
| Rank in category | #4 of 69 in Social Networks & Forums | #1 of 13 in Instant Messaging |
| GitHub stars | 15 243 | 46 348 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +18 | +187 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 31 | 36 |
| Latest release | v4.16.5 · 28 Oct 2026 | 8.5.4 · 16 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Other |
| Main language | JavaScript | Typescript |
Which one should you pick?
Rocket.Chat scores 82/100 against 73/100 for NodeBB, so it is the safer default.
Rocket.Chat ships more often: 36 stable releases in the past year, against 31 for NodeBB.
Rocket.Chat is growing faster right now (+187 stars in 30 days).
NodeBB details →Rocket.Chat details →