utterances VS FastComments

utterances

A lightweight comments widget built on GitHub issues.

FastComments

A very fast, feature-full, and privacy-focused comment service for handling discussions on the internet. At 4.6 kB with no dependencies, it's the fastest comment service around.

Landing page //
2022-03-30

Landing page //
2023-05-08

utterances

Website: utteranc.es
Pricing URL: -
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FastComments

Website: fastcomments.com
Pricing URL: Official FastComments Pricing
$ Details: -

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utterances features and specs

GitHub Authentication
Utterances uses GitHub issues for comments, meaning users authenticate via GitHub. This can reduce spam and ensures that commenters have a verified identity.
Lightweight and Fast
Utterances is designed to be lightweight and load quickly, benefiting site performance and user experience.
Markdown Support
Since it leverages GitHub issues, users can write comments in Markdown, which many developers and technical users appreciate.
GitHub Integration
Comments are managed through GitHub issues, making them easy to track, moderate, and integrate into your development workflow.
Open Source
Utterances is open source, allowing developers to review the code, contribute, and customize it to their needs.

Possible disadvantages of utterances

Dependency on GitHub
Comments are entirely reliant on GitHub's infrastructure, which means any downtime or issues with GitHub services can affect the commenting system.
Limited to GitHub Users
Only users with GitHub accounts can comment, which may exclude or discourage participation from users who are not developers or familiar with GitHub.
No Anonymity
Because commenting requires a GitHub account, users cannot comment anonymously, which might be a drawback for some communities.
Moderation Complexity
Moderating comments requires managing GitHub issues, which can be cumbersome compared to dedicated comment moderation tools.
Feature Limitations
Utterances is relatively simple and lacks advanced features found in other commenting systems, like rich media support, voting, or detailed analytics.

FastComments features and specs

Real-time Commenting
FastComments offers real-time commenting features, allowing users to engage in dynamic conversations without needing to refresh the page.
Spam Filtering
The platform includes robust spam filtering capabilities to maintain the quality and relevance of discussions.
Customizability
FastComments provides various customization options, enabling website owners to tailor the commenting system's appearance and functionalities to match their site's design and requirements.
User Engagement
Features like notifications, upvotes, and social integrations enhance user engagement by fostering interactive and community-driven discussions.
Embedding Options
It allows for easy embedding of the commenting system on any site, providing flexibility and ease of use.
Moderation Tools
The platform includes comprehensive moderation tools that empower admins to manage comments efficiently and maintain community standards.

Possible disadvantages of FastComments

Cost
While it offers free plans, some advanced features and higher usage limits are behind a paywall, which might not be economical for all users.
Learning Curve
The wide array of customization and features could present a steep learning curve for new users not familiar with comment management systems.
Dependency on External Service
Relying on a third-party service may introduce risk, as changes or outages in FastComments can impact the commenting system on your site.
Data Privacy Concerns
Users and site owners may have concerns regarding data privacy and how user comments and data are handled by a third-party service.
Limited Offline Support
Since it is primarily an online service, there may be limitations in accessing or managing comments when offline.

Analysis of utterances

Overall verdict

Utterances is generally considered a good option for integrating a commenting system.

Why this product is good

It is lightweight and doesn't add significant loading time to web pages.
Utterances uses GitHub issues to store comments, which integrates well for projects already using GitHub for version control.
Installation is straightforward, making it easy to implement on static sites, particularly those generated with Jekyll or Hugo.
The comments are stored on GitHub's infrastructure, which is reliable and robust.

Recommended for

Developers and bloggers already using GitHub for project hosting.
Technical blogs and sites generated with static site generators like Jekyll or Hugo.
Users who prefer a minimalistic and efficient commenting system over more feature-rich alternatives.
Those looking for an open-source, privacy-friendly commenting solution.

utterances videos

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SEMANTICS-7: Utterances, Sentences & Propositions

FastComments videos

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to utterances and FastComments)

FastComments

Social Networks

84 84%

Social Networks

16% 16

Project Management

84 84%

Project Management

16% 16

Commenting Service

67 67%

Commenting Service

33% 33

Feedback

84 84%

Feedback

16% 16

User comments

Share your experience with using utterances and FastComments. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, utterances should be more popular than FastComments. It has been mentiond 53 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

utterances mentions (53)

Adding Giscus Comments to Next.js Blog Pages
Utterances: **The primary inspiration for giscus. It uses **GitHub Issues instead of Discussions to store comments. It is extremely lightweight but does not support threaded replies as natively as giscus. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
[TIL][Jekyll] Replacing Disqus with utterances for GitHub issue comments
Title: [TIL][Jekyll] Removing Disqus and switching to utteranc to use github issue as article comments Published: false Date: 2021-05-14 00:00:00 UTC Tags: Canonical_url: http://www.evanlin.com/jekyll-remove-disqus/ --- ![](http://www.evanlin.com/images/2021/github_comment.jpg) ## Preface: ![](https://jekyllrb.com/img/jekyll-og.png) The escalation of the pandemic disrupted the original travel plans, but... - Source: dev.to / about 5 years ago
Add Utterances Comment System in Next.js App in App Router
'use client'; Import { useEffect, useRef } from 'react'; Const Comments = ({ issueTerm }) => { const commentsSection = useRef(null); useEffect(() => { const script = document.createElement('script'); script.src = 'https://utteranc.es/client.js'; script.async = true; script.crossOrigin = 'anonymous'; script.setAttribute('repo', 'shade-cool/article'); script.setAttribute('issue-term',... - Source: dev.to / about 2 years ago
Converting BlogCFC blog to Eleventy
Handling New Comments: There are excellent lightweight comment utilities available for managing comments on your eleventy blog. I personally use Utterances, but Giscus is also a great alternative. - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
Unleash Your Dev Blog: Write More with GitHub Issues as Your CMS
We can use utteranc.es, a lightweight comment widget built on GitHub Issues to integrate authed comments in our blog. - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago

FastComments mentions (7)

Ask HN: What Are You Working On? (April 2026)
I'm working on Watch.ly - a remote human-in-the-loop networking and FS sandbox for AI agents like openclaw: https://watch.ly/ Also this week launching https://dirtforever.net/ which is an open alternative to RaceNet Clubs for Dirt Rally 2, since EA is shutting that down. I'm also expanding the SDK and plugin space for https://fastcomments.com and am planning on adding AI agents because everyone expects that now :)... - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
Ask HN: What are you working on (August 2024)?
Hello! This year I've been working on building an integrated registration and live timing platform [0] for my local organizers in CA, but it is spreading. Very fun/rewarding project. I hope to launch my own cellular-based timing hardware this year which will integrate into the timing platform (right now I've reverse engineered and now support 5 different chronometers, I never knew cross platform serial port comms... - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
Commenting system for Hugo
Another one I can recommend enthusiastically but forgot to mention before, is a paid service called FastComments (https://fastcomments.com/). Great, non-heavy code with a super-helpful developer. Source: about 4 years ago
Made this NPM package that saves you the trouble of making a tedious comments section!
With a quick search, I found https://fastcomments.com/, which does provide comments storage. What does your library provide that this service doesn't? Source: about 4 years ago
How do you collect feedback for your blog posts? (for technical blogs, documentation, how-to's, etc.)
I just started using https://fastcomments.com/. I am still in the free trial but it seems pretty good so far. Source: over 5 years ago