Fider vs Lainchan
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted forums & community options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Fider
Open platform for collecting and voting on feedback
VS
Lainchan
Image board engine forked from vichan
| Feature | Fider | Lainchan |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Forums & Community | Forums & Community |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Tinyboard |
| Language | Go | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary, source | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,458 | ★ 594 |
| First released | 2017 | 2014 |
| Replaces | Canny, UserVoice | 4chan-style boards |
Why pick each one
Choose Fider if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (4.5k GitHub stars)
Choose Lainchan if…
- Released under the Tinyboard license
- Written in JavaScript
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Fider or Lainchan better?
Fider is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Lainchan if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Fider and Lainchan free and open-source?
Yes. Fider is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Lainchan under Tinyboard. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Fider and Lainchan with Docker?
Fider: yes. Lainchan: check the project docs for container support.