head to head · open source
Maskbook vs databag
Maskbook has 1,588 GitHub stars, 315 forks, 4 open issues and last shipped 17 days ago. databag has 1,512 stars, 100 forks, 59 open issues and last shipped 5 months ago. Maskbook leads on adoption by 5% (1,588 vs 1,512 stars). Maskbook is written in TypeScript under AGPL-3.0; databag is written in TypeScript under Apache-2.0. Maskbook has attracted 20% as many forks as stars, databag 7%. Maskbook was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 1 topic tag (dweb), so they are genuine substitutes rather than adjacent tools.
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
| Maskbook | databag | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 1.6K | ★ 1.5K |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-10-19 | 2026-06-14 |
| Forks | ⑂ 315 | ⑂ 100 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick Maskbook if
- You weight community size — 1.6K stars and counting
- You want the AGPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick databag if
- You want the databag feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You evaluated both and databag fits your workflow better
About Maskbook
Mask Network [![GitHub license][badge license]][license] [![Join the chat at [![Chrome Web Store][badge chrome]][client chrome] [![Mozilla Add on][badge firefox]][client firefox] [![Opera][badge opera]][client opera] [![FOSSA Status][badge fossa]][fossa] [![Crowdin][badge crowdin]][crowdin] Mask Network is a portal to the new, open internet, that bridge from Web2.0 to Web3.0 . With Mask Network, you can send encrypted posts to your friends, trade your best token on X (formerly Twitter), enjoy NFT pfps, participate in crypto lucky draws, and share encrypted files on the platforms you are already using. For…
read the full Maskbook overview →
About databag
Databag A federated messenger for self hosting Design Overview Mobile and Browser App Screens Databag is designed for efficiency, consuming minimal hosting resources. Notable features include: Decentralized (direct communication between app and server node) Federated (accounts on different nodes can communicate) Public Private key based identity (not bound to any blockchain or hosting domain) End to End encryption (the hosting admin cannot view topics if sealed) Audio and Video Calls (nat traversal requires separate relay server) Topic based threads (messages organized by topic not contacts) Unlimited…
read the full databag overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is Maskbook or databag more popular?
Maskbook has 1,588 GitHub stars and databag has 1,512. Maskbook has the larger community by that measure.
Are Maskbook and databag free?
Both are open source. Maskbook is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and databag under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Maskbook and databag?
Maskbook is written in TypeScript and databag in TypeScript. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, Maskbook or databag?
Choose Maskbook if you want the larger community (1,588 stars) or its AGPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose databag if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.