Misago vs Pixelfed
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 | Misago | Pixelfed |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Social Networks | Social Networks |
| License | GPL-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,774 | ★ 7,055 |
| First released | 2016 | 2018 |
| Replaces | phpBB, Discourse |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is Misago or Pixelfed better?
Neither is universally better. Pixelfed has the larger community, while Misago is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Misago and Pixelfed free and open-source?
Yes. Misago is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Pixelfed under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Misago and Pixelfed with Docker?
Misago: yes. Pixelfed: yes.