# PixelFed vs Zulip

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

| | PixelFed | Zulip |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 64/100 | 82/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #11 of 69 in Social Networks & Forums | #1 of 110 in Chat |
| GitHub stars | 7 131 | 26 133 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +24 | +190 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 15 ✓ | 6 |
| Latest release | v0.15.2 · 21 Oct 2026 ✓ | 12.3 · 21 Sept 2026 |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate ✓ |
| Official Docker image | No | Yes ✓ |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Main language | PHP | Python |

## Which one should you pick?

Zulip scores 82/100 against 64/100 for PixelFed, so it is the safer default.

PixelFed ships more often: 15 stable releases in the past year, against 6 for Zulip.

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

Zulip is growing faster right now (+190 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [PixelFed](https://selfhost.directory/project/pixelfed) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/pixelfed.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)
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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/pixelfed-vs-zulip