Forte vs Hubzilla
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted social networks options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Forte
open source ActivityPub/fediverse server
VS
Hubzilla
Decentralized identity and social platform
| Feature | Forte | Hubzilla |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | Social Networks | Social Networks |
| License | Unlicense | MIT |
| Language | PHP | |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 50 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | — | ★ 380 |
| First released | 2025 | 2015 |
| Replaces | Facebook, Threads, Tumblr | Facebook, Google+ |
What are Forte and Hubzilla?
Forte
open source ActivityPub/fediverse server.
Hubzilla
Hubzilla is a free, open-source platform for creating interconnected websites with decentralized identity, social networking, file storage, and content management features.
- Nomadic decentralized identity
- Social networking and CMS
- Cloud file storage
- Fine-grained permissions
Forte vs Hubzilla: key differences
Licensing differs — Unlicense for Forte versus MIT for Hubzilla. Forte is the lighter option, starting around 50 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Hubzilla. Hubzilla is the more established project (first released 2015), while Forte arrived in 2025. Hubzilla lists first-class Docker deployment; Forte does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Forte if…
- Released under the Unlicense license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Tiny footprint — runs in 50 MB RAM
Choose Hubzilla if…
- Unique nomadic identity
- Very feature-rich
Watch out for
- Complex to learn
- Niche community
Frequently asked questions
Is Forte or Hubzilla better?
Neither is universally better. Hubzilla has the larger community, while Forte is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Forte and Hubzilla free and open-source?
Yes. Forte is licensed under Unlicense and Hubzilla under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Forte and Hubzilla with Docker?
Forte: check the project docs for container support. Hubzilla: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Forte or Hubzilla?
Forte has the smaller minimum footprint at 50 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Hubzilla. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.