TailchatvsZulip
Two self-hosted Slack alternatives, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| Tailchat | Zulip | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 63/100 | 82/100 |
| Rank in category | #6 of 13 in Instant Messaging | #1 of 110 in Chat |
| GitHub stars | 3 642 | 26 133 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +9 | +190 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 7 | 6 |
| Latest release | v1.11.18 · 2 Oct 2026 | 12.3 · 21 Sept 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Main language | Typescript | Python |
Which one should you pick?
Zulip scores 82/100 against 63/100 for Tailchat, so it is the safer default.
Tailchat ships more often: 7 stable releases in the past year, against 6 for Zulip.
Zulip is growing faster right now (+190 stars in 30 days).
Tailchat details →Zulip details → All Slack alternatives →
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