Airsonic-Advanced vs Amperfy
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted media servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Airsonic-Advanced | Amperfy |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 15 · At risk | 84 · Excellent |
| Category | Media Servers | Media Servers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | Swift |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,404 | ★ 1,761 |
| First released | 2019 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Spotify | Spotify, Apple Music |
What are Airsonic-Advanced and Amperfy?
Airsonic-Advanced
Airsonic-Advanced is a community-maintained fork of Airsonic providing music streaming with Subsonic API compatibility. It targets users wanting a stable Java-based music server. It is deployed via Docker or a JAR file.
- Subsonic API compatible
- Multi-user music streaming
- Podcast support
- Transcoding
Amperfy
Amperfy is a free and open-source iOS music streaming app that connects to Ampache and Subsonic-compatible servers. It supports offline playback, playlists, and CarPlay for self-hosted music libraries.
- Ampache and Subsonic support
- Offline playback
- CarPlay integration
- Playlist sync
Airsonic-Advanced vs Amperfy: key differences
Airsonic-Advanced is written in JavaScript, while Amperfy is built with Swift. Amperfy is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Airsonic-Advanced. Airsonic-Advanced is the more established project (first released 2019), while Amperfy arrived in 2021. Airsonic-Advanced lists first-class Docker deployment; Amperfy does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Airsonic-Advanced if…
- Works with many clients
- Mature feature set
- Multi-user
Watch out for
- Heavier Java runtime
- Slower development pace
Choose Amperfy if…
- Native iOS experience
- Supports two server APIs
Watch out for
- iOS only
- Music only
Frequently asked questions
Is Airsonic-Advanced or Amperfy better?
Amperfy is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Airsonic-Advanced if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Airsonic-Advanced and Amperfy free and open-source?
Yes. Airsonic-Advanced is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Amperfy under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Airsonic-Advanced and Amperfy with Docker?
Airsonic-Advanced: yes. Amperfy: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Airsonic-Advanced or Amperfy?
Amperfy has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Airsonic-Advanced. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.