# Syncthing vs Zulip

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

| | Syncthing | Zulip |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 90/100 ✓ | 82/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 15 in File Sync | #1 of 110 in Chat |
| GitHub stars | 89 840 ✓ | 26 133 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +958 ✓ | +190 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 8 ✓ | 6 |
| Latest release | v2.1.7 · 21 Oct 2026 ✓ | 12.3 · 21 Sept 2026 |
| Setup | Easy ✓ | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | MPL-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Main language | Go | Python |

## Which one should you pick?

Syncthing scores 90/100 against 82/100 for Zulip, so it is the safer default.

Syncthing ships more often: 8 stable releases in the past year, against 6 for Zulip.

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

Syncthing is growing faster right now (+958 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [Syncthing](https://selfhost.directory/project/syncthing) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/syncthing.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/syncthing-vs-zulip