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

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