# octo-server vs Zulip

> Two self-hosted [Chat projects](https://selfhost.directory/chat), compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.

| | octo-server | Zulip |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 53/100 | 82/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #37 of 110 in Chat | #1 of 110 in Chat |
| GitHub stars | 1 101 | 26 131 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | — | +188 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 10 ✓ | 6 |
| Latest release | v1.24.0 · 26 Oct 2026 ✓ | 12.3 · 21 Sept 2026 |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Main language | Go | Python |

## Which one should you pick?

Zulip scores 82/100 against 53/100 for octo-server, so it is the safer default.

octo-server ships more often: 10 stable releases in the past year, against 6 for Zulip.

If you want the quickest setup, Zulip is easier to run; octo-server needs more configuration.

Zulip is growing faster right now (+188 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [octo-server](https://selfhost.directory/project/octo-server) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/octo-server.md)
- [Zulip](https://selfhost.directory/project/zulip) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/zulip.md)

## Related comparisons

- [Discourse vs Zulip](https://selfhost.directory/compare/discourse-vs-zulip)
- [Rocket.Chat vs Zulip](https://selfhost.directory/compare/rocketchat-vs-zulip)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/octo-server-vs-zulip