# Shlink vs Wastebin

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

| | Shlink | Wastebin |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 70/100 ✓ | 56/100 |
| Rank in category | #3 of 23 in URL Shortener | #4 of 19 in Pastebins |
| GitHub stars | 5 380 ✓ | 880 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +77 ✓ | +20 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 13 ✓ | 11 |
| Latest release | v5.1.8 · 21 Oct 2026 ✓ | 3.9.0 · 15 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Easy | Easy ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Main language | PHP | Rust |

## Which one should you pick?

Shlink scores 70/100 against 56/100 for Wastebin, so it is the safer default.

Shlink ships more often: 13 stable releases in the past year, against 11 for Wastebin.

Shlink is growing faster right now (+77 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [Shlink](https://selfhost.directory/project/shlink) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/shlink.md)
- [Wastebin](https://selfhost.directory/project/wastebin) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/wastebin.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/shlink-vs-wastebin