Lemmy vs Wavelog
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted social networks options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
| Feature | Lemmy | Wavelog |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Social Networks | Social Networks |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | free |
| Language | Rust | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, one-click |
| GitHub stars | ★ 14,538 | ★ 498 |
| First released | 2019 | 2022 |
| Replaces | — |
Why pick each one
Choose Wavelog if…
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- One-click install on common self-host platforms
- Written in PHP
Frequently asked questions
Is Lemmy or Wavelog better?
Neither is universally better. Lemmy has the larger community, while Wavelog is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Lemmy and Wavelog free and open-source?
Yes. Lemmy is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Wavelog under free. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Lemmy and Wavelog with Docker?
Lemmy: yes. Wavelog: yes.