Self-hosted alternatives to Disqus
Want embedded website comments without handing your data to Disqus? These 4 self-hosted apps run on your own server. Cheapest estimated hosting starts at about $20/month.
About Disqus: Hosted comment system for websites.
| App | Health | Stars | License | Docker | RAM (est.) | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isso direct | Active | 5.3k | MIT | ✓ | 4 GB | $20/mo |
| remark42 | Active | 5.6k | MIT | ✓ | 4 GB | $20/mo |
| Artalk | Active | 2.4k | MIT | ✓ | 4 GB | $20/mo |
| Coral | Maintained | 2k | Apache-2.0 | ✓ | 4 GB | $20/mo |
The options in detail
1. Isso
Lightweight commenting server written in Python and Javascript. It aims to be a drop-in replacement for Disqus.
Active Last commit 2026-10-25. Latest release 0.14.0 (2026-03-26). Needs roughly 4 GB RAM. How to run it →
2. remark42
Lightweight and simple comment engine, which doesn't spy on users. It can be embedded into blogs, articles or any other place where readers add comments.
Active Last commit 2026-11-02. Latest release v1.18.0 (2026-10-11). Needs roughly 4 GB RAM. How to run it →
3. Artalk
Comment system built in Golang, providing a lightweight and highly customizable solution for adding comments to your website.
Active Last commit 2026-11-03. 3 releases in the past year. Latest release nightly (2026-11-03). Needs roughly 4 GB RAM. How to run it →
4. Coral
Better commenting experience from Vox Media.
Maintained Last commit 2026-07-07. 10+ releases in the past year. Latest release v9.11.8 (2026-07-07). Needs roughly 4 GB RAM. How to run it →
Why self-host instead of Disqus?
- Own your data — it lives on a server you control, with backups you decide on.
- Predictable cost — a small VPS often replaces per-seat pricing for a whole team or family.
- No lock-in — open-source licenses let you keep running the software even if a vendor disappears.
The trade-off: you are responsible for updates, backups and security. Pick an app marked Active (a commit in the last 90 days) and with Docker support for the easiest ride.
Browse related categories
Other alternatives guides
Disqus is a trademark of its owner; this site is not affiliated with it. Listings come from the community-maintained awesome-selfhosted list.