NodeBBvssimon
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| NodeBB | simon | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 73/100 | 46/100 |
| Rank in category | #4 of 69 in Social Networks & Forums | #74 of 104 in Monitoring & observability |
| GitHub stars | 15 244 | 161 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +19 | +0 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 31 | 9 |
| Latest release | v4.16.5 · 28 Oct 2026 | 0.3.7 · 18 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Easy |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Main language | JavaScript | Rust |
Which one should you pick?
NodeBB scores 73/100 against 46/100 for simon, so it is the safer default.
NodeBB ships more often: 31 stable releases in the past year, against 9 for simon.
If you want the quickest setup, simon is easier to run; NodeBB needs more configuration.
NodeBB is growing faster right now (+19 stars in 30 days).
NodeBB details →simon details →