Ghostfolio vs Lightning Node

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?
FeatureGhostfolioLightning Node
CategoryBudgeting & FinanceBudgeting & Finance
LicenseAGPL-3.0free
LanguageTypeScriptVue
Setup difficultyMediumEasy
Min. RAM512 MB512 MB
Deploymentdocker, bare-metal, sourcedocker, one-click
GitHub stars★ 9,090★ 24
First released20212022
ReplacesPersonal Capital, Sharesight

Why pick each one

Choose Ghostfolio if…

  • Clean, focused dashboard
  • Supports many asset classes
Ghostfolio details

Choose Lightning Node if…

  • Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
  • First-class Docker support for quick deployment
  • One-click install on common self-host platforms
  • Written in Vue
Lightning Node details

Frequently asked questions

Is Ghostfolio or Lightning Node better?

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

Are Ghostfolio and Lightning Node free and open-source?

Yes. Ghostfolio is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Lightning Node under free. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Ghostfolio and Lightning Node with Docker?

Ghostfolio: yes. Lightning Node: yes.

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