Flarum
Delightfully simple forums. Next-generation forum software that makes online discussion fun again.
Flarum vs Mastodon
Two self-hosted Communication - Social Networks and Forums apps, compared on the facts we track: GitHub popularity and activity, license, language, Docker images and a rough hosting estimate.
Side by side
| Flarum | Mastodon | |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Delightfully simple forums. Next-generation forum software that makes online discussion fun again. | Federated microblogging server. |
| GitHub stars | 16,441 | 50,485 |
| Forks | – | 7.5k |
| Open issues (incl. PRs) | – | 4.6k |
| Commits (12 months) | 15 | 2.9k |
| Last activity | 2026-10-09 | 2026-11-04 |
| Latest release | v2.0.0 (2026-10-09) | v5.0.0-beta.1 (2026-11-04) |
| Maintenance health | Active | Active |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language / platform | PHP | Ruby |
| Docker Hub image | – | – |
| Docker pulls | – | – |
| Est. server size | ~4 GB, 2 vCPU | ~4 GB, 2 vCPU |
| Est. hosting from | $20/mo | $20/mo |
| Categories | Communication - Social Networks and Forums | Communication - Social Networks and Forums |
| Links | Website · Source | Website · Source |
What the numbers say
- Mastodon is more popular on GitHub: 50.5k stars vs 16.4k for Flarum.
- Mastodon had more commits in the last 12 months (2,943 vs 15).
- Mastodon has more recent repository activity (2026-11-04 vs 2026-10-09).
- Mastodon published a release more recently (v5.0.0-beta.1 on 2026-11-04; Flarum's latest is v2.0.0 on 2026-10-09).
- Flarum is licensed under MIT, Mastodon under AGPL-3.0. Flarum's license is permissive; Mastodon's is copyleft (changes you distribute must stay open).
- Flarum is written in PHP; Mastodon in Ruby.
Summary: Mastodon leads on GitHub popularity, commit activity and recent activity. The right choice depends on the features you need — read both project descriptions and docs.
This summary is generated from GitHub, Docker Hub and awesome-selfhosted data as of 2026-11-05. It does not rate features or quality.
Frequently asked questions
Is Flarum or Mastodon more popular?
Mastodon has more GitHub stars (50,485 vs 16,441 for Flarum, as of 2026-11-05). Stars measure interest, not quality.
Which is more actively maintained, Flarum or Mastodon?
Mastodon had more commits over the last 12 months (2,943 vs 15). The last recorded activity was 2026-10-09 for Flarum and 2026-11-04 for Mastodon. Our health labels: Flarum is “Active”, Mastodon is “Active”.
What licenses do Flarum and Mastodon use?
Flarum: MIT. Mastodon: AGPL-3.0. Flarum's license is permissive; Mastodon's is copyleft (changes you distribute must stay open).
Can I run Flarum and Mastodon with Docker?
We did not detect a Docker Hub image for either app. Check each project's documentation for install options.
Read more
Mastodon
Federated microblogging server.
Browse all self-hosted Communication - Social Networks and Forums apps.