# NodeBB vs ThinkDashboard

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

| | NodeBB | ThinkDashboard |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 73/100 ✓ | 45/100 |
| Rank in category | #4 of 69 in Social Networks & Forums | #32 of 46 in Bookmarks & Link Sharing |
| GitHub stars | 15 244 ✓ | 339 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +19 ✓ | +0 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 31 ✓ | 7 |
| Latest release | v4.16.5 · 28 Oct 2026 ✓ | 0.7.6 · 24 Nov 2025 |
| Setup | Moderate | Easy ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Main language | JavaScript | JavaScript |

## Which one should you pick?

NodeBB scores 73/100 against 45/100 for ThinkDashboard, so it is the safer default.

NodeBB ships more often: 31 stable releases in the past year, against 7 for ThinkDashboard.

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

NodeBB is growing faster right now (+19 stars in 30 days).

## Details

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

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