# OpenSearch vs Zulip

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

| | OpenSearch | Zulip |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 76/100 | 82/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #7 of 41 in Search Engines | #1 of 110 in Chat |
| GitHub stars | 13 923 | 26 133 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +158 | +190 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 11 ✓ | 6 |
| Latest release | 2.19.7 · 17 Oct 2026 ✓ | 12.3 · 21 Sept 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate ✓ | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Main language | Java | Python |

## Which one should you pick?

Zulip scores 82/100 against 76/100 for OpenSearch, so it is the safer default.

OpenSearch ships more often: 11 stable releases in the past year, against 6 for Zulip.

## Details

- [OpenSearch](https://selfhost.directory/project/opensearch) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/opensearch.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/opensearch-vs-zulip