head to head · open source
Apache Superset vs Ghostwriter
Apache Superset has 74,848 GitHub stars, 18,353 forks, 588 open issues and last shipped today. Ghostwriter has 1,916 stars, 257 forks, 38 open issues and last shipped 6 days ago. Apache Superset leads on adoption by 3,806% (74,848 vs 1,916 stars). Apache Superset is written in Python under Apache-2.0; Ghostwriter is written in Python under BSD-3-Clause. Apache Superset has attracted 25% as many forks as stars, Ghostwriter 13%. Apache Superset 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.
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Side by side
| Apache Superset | Ghostwriter | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 75K | ★ 1.9K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | BSD-3-Clause |
| Written in | Python | Python |
| Last push | 2026-09-20 | 2026-09-14 |
| Forks | ⑂ 18K | ⑂ 257 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick Apache Superset if
- You weight community size — 75K stars and counting
- You want the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick Ghostwriter if
- You want the Ghostwriter feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the BSD-3-Clause license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You evaluated both and Ghostwriter fits your workflow better
About Apache Superset
Apache Superset is an open source business intelligence platform that enables self serve data exploration and dashboard creation. It runs as a web application and provides tools for analysts and business users to visualize and analyze data without writing complex code, while also offering advanced capabilities for data engineers and developers. Superset lives in the Apache Software Foundation ecosystem and is licensed under Apache 2.0.
read the full Apache Superset overview →
About Ghostwriter
Ghostwriter is open source Python project management and reporting engine for offensive security work. It lives in information security, penetration testing, red team ecosystem. Category: Data & Analytics, Business Intelligence & Reporting. Stack: Python 3.13, Django 5.2. Topics: informationsecurity, penetration testing, red team, reporting.
read the full Ghostwriter overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is Apache Superset or Ghostwriter more popular?
Apache Superset has 74,848 GitHub stars and Ghostwriter has 1,916. Apache Superset has the larger community by that measure.
Are Apache Superset and Ghostwriter free?
Both are open source. Apache Superset is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Ghostwriter under BSD-3-Clause. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Apache Superset and Ghostwriter?
Apache Superset is written in Python and Ghostwriter in Python. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, Apache Superset or Ghostwriter?
Choose Apache Superset if you want the larger community (74,848 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose Ghostwriter if its feature set, stack or BSD-3-Clause licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.