SHSelfHostIndex

Ride The Lightning (Core Lightning) vs Lago

A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted budgeting & finance options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.

Not the right match-up?
RI Ride The Lightning (Core Lightning) Manage your Core Lightning node with RTL VS LA Lago Open-source billing and metering API
FeatureRide The Lightning (Core Lightning)Lago
CategoryBudgeting & FinanceBudgeting & Finance
LicensefreeAGPL-3.0
LanguageTypeScriptGo
Setup difficultyEasyHard
Min. RAM512 MB2,048 MB
Deploymentdocker, one-clickdocker, kubernetes, source
GitHub stars★ 796★ 10,308
First released20222022
Replaces—Stripe Billing, Chargebee

Why pick each one

Choose Ride The Lightning (Core Lightning) if…

  • Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
  • First-class Docker support for quick deployment
  • One-click install on common self-host platforms
  • Written in TypeScript
Ride The Lightning (Core Lightning) details

Choose Lago if…

  • Powerful for SaaS billing
  • Developer-friendly
Lago details

Frequently asked questions

Is Ride The Lightning (Core Lightning) or Lago better?

Neither is universally better. Lago has the larger community, while Ride The Lightning (Core Lightning) is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.

Are Ride The Lightning (Core Lightning) and Lago free and open-source?

Yes. Ride The Lightning (Core Lightning) is licensed under free and Lago under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Ride The Lightning (Core Lightning) and Lago with Docker?

Ride The Lightning (Core Lightning): yes. Lago: yes.

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