head to head · open source
AdGuardHome vs port-buddy
AdGuardHome has 38,073 GitHub stars, 2,589 forks, 1,253 open issues and last shipped yesterday. port-buddy has 536 stars, 46 forks, 2 open issues and last shipped yesterday. AdGuardHome leads on adoption by 7,003% (38,073 vs 536 stars). AdGuardHome is written in TypeScript under GPL-3.0; port-buddy is written in Java under Apache-2.0. AdGuardHome has attracted 7% as many forks as stars, port-buddy 9%. AdGuardHome was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
← all 20902 open source comparisons
Side by side
| AdGuardHome | port-buddy | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 38K | ★ 536 |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | TypeScript | Java |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-11-02 |
| Forks | ⑂ 2.6K | ⑂ 46 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick AdGuardHome if
- You weight community size — 38K stars and counting
- You want the GPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick port-buddy if
- You want the port-buddy feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Java
- You evaluated both and port-buddy fits your workflow better
About AdGuardHome
Privacy protection center for you and your devices Free and open source, powerful network wide ads & trackers blocking DNS server. AdGuard.com Wiki Reddit Twitter Telegram AdGuard Home is a network wide software for blocking ads and tracking. After you set it up, it'll cover ALL your home devices, and you don't need any client side software for that. It operates as a DNS server that re routes tracking domains to a “black hole”, thus preventing your devices from connecting to those servers. It's based on software we use for our public [AdGuard DNS] servers, and both share a lot of code. [AdGuard DNS]: Getting…
read the full AdGuardHome overview →
About port-buddy
🚀 Port Buddy — Secure Localhost Tunneling (HTTP, TCP, UDP) Official Website License Port Buddy is a lightweight, high performance ngrok alternative designed to instantly expose your local development servers to the public internet. Unlike standard tools, Port Buddy features native, zero configuration support for HTTP/HTTPS , raw TCP , and UDP protocols right out of the box. Whether you need to test webhooks, expose a local database, debug an SSH connection, or host a local multiplayer game server, Port Buddy creates a secure reverse tunnel with a single command—no router port forwarding required. ✨ Key Features…
read the full port-buddy overview →
More in Infrastructure & Operations
Related comparisons
More Networking & Connectivity projects
Compare either of these against the rest of the Networking & Connectivity field.
Frequently asked questions
Is AdGuardHome or port-buddy more popular?
AdGuardHome has 38,073 GitHub stars and port-buddy has 536. AdGuardHome has the larger community by that measure.
Are AdGuardHome and port-buddy free?
Both are open source. AdGuardHome is licensed under GPL-3.0 and port-buddy under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between AdGuardHome and port-buddy?
AdGuardHome is written in TypeScript and port-buddy in Java. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, AdGuardHome or port-buddy?
Choose AdGuardHome if you want the larger community (38,073 stars) or its GPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose port-buddy if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.