head to head · open source
Shelf vs Binner
Shelf has 3,014 GitHub stars, 367 forks, 181 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Binner has 537 stars, 69 forks, 52 open issues and last shipped 5 months ago. Shelf leads on adoption by 461% (3,014 vs 537 stars). Shelf is written in TypeScript under AGPL-3.0; Binner is written in C# under GPL-3.0. Shelf has attracted 12% as many forks as stars, Binner 13%. Shelf 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
| Shelf | Binner | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 3.0K | ★ 537 |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Written in | TypeScript | C# |
| Last push | 2026-09-17 | 2026-04-18 |
| Forks | ⑂ 367 | ⑂ 69 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick Shelf if
- You weight community size — 3.0K 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 Binner if
- You want the Binner feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the GPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches C#
- You evaluated both and Binner fits your workflow better
About Shelf
Shelf is a free, open source platform for tracking physical assets, including equipment, devices, tools, vehicles, props, and inventory. It is built for teams that need to know what they have, where it is, and who is using it. The project sits in the IT asset management, equipment management, scheduling, and operations software ecosystem.
read the full Shelf overview →
About Binner
Binner is a free, open source parts inventory tracking system that runs locally on Windows or Unix, created for makers, electronics hobbyists, and professional engineers who need to keep track of a parts inventory.
read the full Binner overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is Shelf or Binner more popular?
Shelf has 3,014 GitHub stars and Binner has 537. Shelf has the larger community by that measure.
Are Shelf and Binner free?
Both are open source. Shelf is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Binner under GPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Shelf and Binner?
Shelf is written in TypeScript and Binner in C#. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, Shelf or Binner?
Choose Shelf if you want the larger community (3,014 stars) or its AGPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose Binner if its feature set, stack or GPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.