# PanWatch vs PixelFed

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

| | PanWatch | PixelFed |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 62/100 | 64/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #3 of 9 in Fintech | #12 of 69 in Social Networks & Forums |
| GitHub stars | 2 289 | 7 131 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +138 ✓ | +24 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 12 | 15 ✓ |
| Latest release | 0.20.0 · 23 Oct 2026 ✓ | v0.15.2 · 21 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Easy ✓ | Advanced |
| Official Docker image | Yes ✓ | No |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Main language | Python | PHP |

## Which one should you pick?

PixelFed scores 64/100 against 62/100 for PanWatch, so it is the safer default.

PixelFed ships more often: 15 stable releases in the past year, against 12 for PanWatch.

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

PanWatch is growing faster right now (+138 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [PanWatch](https://selfhost.directory/project/panwatch) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/panwatch.md)
- [PixelFed](https://selfhost.directory/project/pixelfed) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/pixelfed.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/panwatch-vs-pixelfed