Redlib vs WriteFreely
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?
Redlib
An alternative private front-end to Reddit, with its origins in
VS
WriteFreely
Minimalist federated blogging platform
| Feature | Redlib | WriteFreely |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Social Networks | Social Networks |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Rust | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal | docker, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,595 | ★ 5,216 |
| First released | 2025 | 2018 |
| Replaces | — | Medium, Tumblr |
Why pick each one
Choose Redlib if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Active community (3.6k GitHub stars)
- Written in Rust
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Redlib or WriteFreely better?
WriteFreely is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Redlib if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Redlib and WriteFreely free and open-source?
Yes. Redlib is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and WriteFreely under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Redlib and WriteFreely with Docker?
Redlib: check the project docs for container support. WriteFreely: yes.