# Alternatives to Apache Answer (https://devrel.directory/directory/apache-answer/alternatives)

Apache Answer is listed under Community platforms, tagged open-source. This page lists the alternatives this directory has curated, compared on the same criteria.

## Curated alternatives

- [Discourse](https://devrel.directory/directory/discourse): The standard open-source forum software for long-form developer community discussion.

## Also in this space (ranked by shared tags, not hand-picked)

- [GitHub Discussions](https://devrel.directory/directory/github-discussions): Threaded forums attached to your repos; the lowest-friction community home for open-source projects.
- [Zulip](https://devrel.directory/directory/zulip): Open-source threaded team chat; the community home of Rust and other projects that outgrew unthreaded chat.
- [Advocu](https://devrel.directory/directory/advocu): Runs developer ambassador and experts programs: applications, activity tracking, and program reporting in one place.
- [Answer Overflow](https://devrel.directory/directory/answer-overflow): Indexes Discord help channels into Google so community answers become searchable content.
- [Asciinema](https://devrel.directory/directory/asciinema): Records terminal sessions as lightweight text-based embeds for docs, READMEs, and tutorials.

## Compared on the same criteria

| Criterion | Apache Answer | Discourse | GitHub Discussions | Zulip | Advocu | Answer Overflow | Asciinema |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Category | Tools | Tools | Tools | Tools | Tools | Tools | Tools |
| Type | Community platforms | Community platforms | Community platforms | Community platforms | Community platforms | Community platforms | Content & media |
| Focus | community, forum, open-source | community, forum | community, forum, open-source | community, chat, open-source | advocacy, community | community, seo | content, open-source |
| Public source repo | Yes | Yes | Not stated | Yes | Not stated | Yes | Yes |
| Last commit | Jul 2026 | Aug 2026 | Not stated | Aug 2026 | Not stated | Jul 2026 | Jun 2026 |
| Stars | 15k | 47k | Not stated | 25k | Not stated | 2.0k | 17k |
| Documentation | Yes | Not stated | Yes | Yes | Not stated | Not stated | Yes |
| Pricing model | Not stated | Open core (checked Jul 26, 2026) | Not stated | Open core (checked Jul 26, 2026) | Paid (checked Jul 26, 2026) | Not stated | Free (checked Jul 26, 2026) |
| Link verified | Aug 1, 2026 | Aug 1, 2026 | Aug 1, 2026 | Aug 1, 2026 | Aug 1, 2026 | Not stated | Not stated |
| Listed since | Jul 12, 2026 | Jul 8, 2026 | Jul 12, 2026 | Jul 12, 2026 | Jul 12, 2026 | Jul 8, 2026 | Jul 12, 2026 |

## How to read this

Every fact on this page is copied from the product's own site or repository and dated. We do not test these tools hands-on, and the criteria are structural (what a product publishes) rather than qualitative (how well it works). Pricing is read off each product's own pricing page and carries the date it was read, so check the current page before budgeting. Where a product does not state something, the table says so instead of guessing.