# NodeBB vs YOURLS

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

| | NodeBB | YOURLS |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 73/100 | 74/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #4 of 69 in Social Networks & Forums | #1 of 23 in URL Shortener |
| GitHub stars | 15 244 ✓ | 12 292 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +19 | +49 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 31 ✓ | 4 |
| Latest release | v4.16.5 · 28 Oct 2026 ✓ | 1.10.6 · 30 Aug 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Moderate ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes ✓ | No |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Main language | JavaScript | PHP |

## Which one should you pick?

YOURLS 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 4 for YOURLS.

YOURLS is growing faster right now (+49 stars in 30 days).

## Details

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

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