# Paperless-ngx vs Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP)

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

| | Paperless-ngx | Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP) |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 86/100 ✓ | 80/100 |
| Rank in category | #3 of 46 in Document Management | #4 of 78 in Security |
| GitHub stars | 47 203 ✓ | 16 058 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +1 247 ✓ | +243 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 26 | 31 ✓ |
| Latest release | v3.3.4 · 22 Oct 2026 | w2026-10-23 · 23 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Easy ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Main language | Python | Java |

## Which one should you pick?

Paperless-ngx scores 86/100 against 80/100 for Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP), so it is the safer default.

Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP) ships more often: 31 stable releases in the past year, against 26 for Paperless-ngx.

If you want the quickest setup, Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP) is easier to run; Paperless-ngx needs more configuration.

Paperless-ngx is growing faster right now (+1 247 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [Paperless-ngx](https://selfhost.directory/project/paperless-ngx) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/paperless-ngx.md)
- [Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP)](https://selfhost.directory/project/zed-attack-proxy-zap) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/zed-attack-proxy-zap.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/paperless-ngx-vs-zed-attack-proxy-zap