If you want feedback software you can read, change and run on your own server, the list is short. Fider is the best-known option and has been around for years. Veerify is newer. Both use the AGPL-3.0 license, and both offer a hosted version if you would rather not run anything.
We build Veerify. Fider is a well-made project and for some teams it is the better choice, so this post tries to make that clear.
What AGPL-3.0 means for you
Both projects use the same license, so you can self-host either one, change it, and use it commercially. The main obligation: if you modify the code and let other people use your modified version over a network, you have to publish your changes under the same license. Running it unmodified for your own users carries no extra obligation.
Fider in one paragraph
Fider is a feedback portal. Users post ideas, vote, and discuss each one. You can customize the look, use it in several languages and connect integrations. Fider Cloud is free up to about 250 feedback items, and the $25 Pro plan adds content moderation and SEO indexing. The project keeps a narrow scope, which makes it easy to understand and easy to run.
Veerify in one paragraph
Veerify starts with the same board (ideas, votes, comments, attachments, a guided submit form) and adds the tools that usually come next: a kanban-style public roadmap, a changelog with RSS, and a shared inbox where you answer customer email from addresses on your own domain. It also syncs feedback to GitHub issues, has a REST API, and has an MCP server so AI agents can work with your data. Each tool can be switched on or off per project.
Side by side
| Fider | Veerify | |
|---|---|---|
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Hosted option | Fider Cloud, free up to ~250 items | Veerify cloud, free during beta |
| Voting board | Yes | Yes |
| Public roadmap | Not listed on its site | Yes, kanban per product |
| Changelog | Not listed on its site | Yes, with RSS |
| Support inbox | No | Yes, email on your own domain |
| GitHub issue sync | Not listed on its site | Built in |
| API for AI agents | No MCP server | MCP server and REST API |
| Maturity | Years in production, large community | Open beta, small team |
Running it yourself
This is where Fider’s smaller scope pays off. It is a single service with a database and very little else to look after.
Veerify has more parts because it does more. You need:
- Docker
- PostgreSQL
- S3-compatible storage for attachments (MinIO works)
- An SMTP server for outgoing mail
Optionally, add Valkey or Redis so realtime updates work across several app instances. Receiving email on your own domain uses a mail provider behind the scenes. On a self-hosted install you set that up yourself, or leave the feature off and use everything else.
If one small server and as little maintenance as possible is the goal, Fider wins.
When to pick which
Pick Fider if a voting board is all you need, you want the smallest install, or you value a project with a long track record.
Pick Veerify if you want the board, roadmap, changelog and support inbox under one license and one login. Veerify is also the choice if you plan to let AI agents work with your feedback, or if you want support email and feature requests in the same place.
If you are not sure, try both hosted versions first. It is the fastest way to find out whether you will miss the roadmap and inbox, or never touch them.
The source is at github.com/Frogbyte-io/veerify, and there is a shorter Fider comparison too.