Coral alternative: how OpenModeration compares
Coral by Vox Media and OpenModeration do different jobs. Coral is a commenting platform that a newsroom runs on its site. OpenModeration is a moderation layer that decides on comments where they already are, on your site and on your Facebook, Instagram and YouTube pages. Here are the differences, with sources.
Choose OpenModeration if…
- you want to keep your current comment system and add automatic moderation to it;
- you also moderate comments on Facebook, Instagram or YouTube;
- you want a written reason for every hidden comment and a DSA activity log;
- you want a hosted service in the EU with public prices, rather than running servers;
- you want us to adapt the moderation to your rules and use cases, from your real comments.
Coral may suit you better if…
- you need the comment system itself: display, notifications, journalist badges;
- you have the technical team to host and run it (MongoDB, Redis, Node);
- your moderators review comments by hand and want tools built into the comment stream.
Coral and OpenModeration, side by side
Information about Coral taken from coralproject.net, its documentation and its GitHub repository, consulted on October 20, 2026.
| Criterion | Coral | OpenModeration |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | An open-source commenting platform for newsrooms, with moderation tools | A moderation layer: it decides on comments where they already live and does not display them |
| Where it moderates | Comments on your own website. Social networks: not stated | Website, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and WordPress natively; TikTok, X, LinkedIn and other networks added on request, quickly; REST API and webhooks for the rest |
| Hosted offer and pricing | Hosted offer on quote. Prices not stated | Free up to 1,000 comments analysed per month, Pro at €99 per month for 10,000 comments, or a plan sized to your volumes (setup and our team included) |
| Hosting region of the hosted offer | Not stated | Built and hosted in the European Union |
| Role of AI | Tools for human moderators with AI assistance | Automatic decisions from rules written in plain language, a threshold per category, a grey zone handled by our team |
| Written reason for every decision | Not stated | Yes, in the language of your choice, returned by the API |
| DSA | Not stated | Activity log showing whether each decision was automatic or by which moderator |
| Languages | Used in 23 languages and 30 countries, per its site | Comments are analysed in their own language, with no list to maintain per language |
| Newsroom references | The Intercept, The Washington Post, Fairfax Media (testimonials) | L'Équipe, Challenges, Sud Ouest, actu.fr, Estadão, Südkurier |
What actually changes day to day
Your site and your social pages in one place
The same rules apply to comments on WordPress, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Every decision, wherever the comment was posted, lands in the same activity log.
Decisions made for you, with a reason
The AI reads each comment with the article title and the thread, then publishes or hides it according to your rules. Every decision carries a written reason, our team handles the grey zone, and you can step in at any moment.
Rules adapted with you
Our team adapts the moderation to your existing rules, use cases and real comments, then adjusts it over the first weeks. The system learns from moderation decisions and proposes rule changes that an admin applies in one click.
A side-by-side test before any switch
Sandbox mode analyses real comments without hiding anything. You compare its decisions with those of your current moderation, then decide.
We set it up and run it for you
Just connect your pages: our team sets up the moderation on your rules and use cases, then runs it day to day. Doubtful cases and reports are handled by us, and you can step in whenever you want.
We set up your rules for you
Our team starts from your existing rules, your use cases and your real comments, sets the moderation up, then fine-tunes it over the first weeks. No work on your side.
Our team handles the doubtful cases
Doubtful cases, user reports and contested decisions are handled by our team. The system learns from every decision and proposes adjustments to your rules, which you approve in one click.
A test without risk
In sandbox mode, OpenModeration analyses your real comments and shows what it would have decided, without hiding or deleting anything.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Coral?
It depends on what you are replacing. If you need a full commenting system that you host and run yourself, Coral is a solid open-source choice and OpenModeration does not replace it. If you already have comments (on WordPress, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube) and want them moderated automatically, with a written reason for every decision, OpenModeration is built for that.
How much does Coral cost compared with OpenModeration?
Coral's code is free to self-host. Its hosted offer is sold on quote, and no price is stated on coralproject.net. OpenModeration publishes its prices: free up to 1,000 comments analysed per month, Pro at €99 per month for 10,000 comments, or a plan sized to your volumes, with setup and our team included.
Can I test OpenModeration without leaving Coral?
Yes. In sandbox mode, OpenModeration analyses real comments without applying any action. You send a sample of your comments to the API and compare its decisions with those of your moderators, comment by comment, before changing anything in production.
Does OpenModeration help with the DSA for reader comments?
OpenModeration writes a reason for every decision and keeps an activity log showing whether each decision was automatic or made by a named moderator. Both feed the statement of reasons required by Article 17 of the DSA for publishers operating in the EU.
Coral is a trademark of Vox Media. Information about it comes from coralproject.net, docs.coralproject.net and github.com/coralproject/talk (consulted on October 20, 2026). Spotted a mistake? Write to us at contact@openmoderation.com.
Add transparent moderation to the comments you already have.
Connect your site and your social pages, write your rules in plain language and read the reason behind every decision. Free to start.
No credit card required · DSA-compliant · GDPR-compliant
Questions? contact@openmoderation.com