head to head · open source
refined-github vs GhostText
refined-github has 32,432 GitHub stars, 1,935 forks, 80 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. GhostText has 3,649 stars, 134 forks, 40 open issues and last shipped 6 months ago. refined-github leads on adoption by 789% (32,432 vs 3,649 stars). refined-github is written in TypeScript under MIT; GhostText is written in JavaScript under MIT. refined-github has attracted 6% as many forks as stars, GhostText 4%. refined-github was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 3 topic tags (browser-extension, chrome-extension, safari-extension), 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
| refined-github | GhostText | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 32K | ★ 3.6K |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Written in | TypeScript | JavaScript |
| Last push | 2026-11-03 | 2026-05-13 |
| Forks | ⑂ 1.9K | ⑂ 134 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick refined-github if
- You weight community size — 32K stars and counting
- You want the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick GhostText if
- You want the GhostText feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches JavaScript
- You evaluated both and GhostText fits your workflow better
About refined-github
Refined GitHub Browser extension that simplifies the GitHub interface and adds useful features We use GitHub a lot and notice many annoyances we'd like to fix. So here be dragons. Our hope is that GitHub will notice and implement some of these much needed improvements. So if you like any of these improvements, please open a discussion on GitHub feedback or contact GitHub support about doing it. GitHub Enterprise is also supported: How to enable it. The GITHUB and REFINED GITHUB trademarks are owned by GitHub, Inc. and used under license. Install [link chrome]: 'Version published on Chrome Web Store' [link…
read the full refined-github overview →
About GhostText
Use your text editor to write in your browser. Everything you type in the editor will be instantly updated in the browser (and vice versa). Visit the ghosttext.fregante.com for more details and troubleshooting. If you love GhostText, consider sponsoring or hiring the maintainer @fregante Installation 1. Install your browser extension: [link chrome]: 'Version published on Chrome Web Store' [link firefox]: 'Version published on Mozilla Add ons' [link safari]: 'Version published on the Mac App Store' [ ][link chrome] [ ][link chrome] also compatible with [ ][link chrome] [ ][link chrome] [ ][link firefox] [ ][link…
read the full GhostText overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is refined-github or GhostText more popular?
refined-github has 32,432 GitHub stars and GhostText has 3,649. refined-github has the larger community by that measure.
Are refined-github and GhostText free?
Both are open source. refined-github is licensed under MIT and GhostText under MIT. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between refined-github and GhostText?
refined-github is written in TypeScript and GhostText in JavaScript. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, refined-github or GhostText?
Choose refined-github if you want the larger community (32,432 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose GhostText if its feature set, stack or MIT licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.