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Lemmy vs NodeBB: catalog facts
Lemmy	NodeBB
Free Free and open source under the AGPL. Hosting is separate.	Freemium Free to self-host; managed hosting is a paid monthly plan.
Web, Self-hosted	Web, Self-hosted
Communities federate, so a single server going down does not end the network Lightweight Rust server that runs on modest hardware	Self-hosted open-source edition Mobile-ready interface
Content volume is far below the centralised platforms it resembles Moderation quality varies sharply between instances	Self-hosting requires Node.js and server maintenance Hosted plans cost money after the trial
Self-hosted, Web application	Self-hosted, Hosted service
Open source	Open source
License: AGPL-3.0	License not stated
Not stated if an account is needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Not stated if it works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 22, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.