CTFd vs Ren'Py
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted game servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
CTFd
Open-source capture the flag framework for hacking competitions
VS
Ren'Py
Visual novel engine for creating story-based games
| Feature | CTFd | Ren'Py |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Game Servers | Game Servers |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | Python | Ren'Py |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 6,776 | ★ 6,700 |
| First released | 2017 | 2004 |
| Replaces | HackerRank CTF | TyranoBuilder |
Why pick each one
Choose CTFd if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 6.8k GitHub stars
- Written in Python
Choose Ren'Py if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Mature project with 6.7k GitHub stars
- Written in Ren'Py
Frequently asked questions
Is CTFd or Ren'Py better?
Neither is universally better. CTFd has the larger community, while Ren'Py is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are CTFd and Ren'Py free and open-source?
Yes. CTFd is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Ren'Py under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run CTFd and Ren'Py with Docker?
CTFd: yes. Ren'Py: check the project docs for container support.