Airsonic vs Ampache
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted media servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Airsonic
Archived
Free, web-based media streamer derived from Subsonic
VS
Ampache
Web-based audio and video streaming application
| Feature | Airsonic | Ampache |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 15 · At risk | 88 · Excellent |
| Status | Archived | Actively maintained |
| Category | Media Servers | Media Servers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Java | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,045 | ★ 3,832 |
| First released | 2017 | 2001 |
| Replaces | Spotify | Spotify |
What are Airsonic and Ampache?
Airsonic
Airsonic is a free, web-based media streamer providing access to your music collection from anywhere. It is the community fork of Subsonic and supports the Subsonic API for use with many client apps.
- Subsonic API support
- Multi-user with roles
- On-the-fly transcoding
- Podcast support
Ampache
Ampache is a web-based audio and video streaming application and file manager that lets you access your music from anywhere. It supports the Subsonic API, sharing, and a wide range of clients.
- Subsonic API support
- Audio and video streaming
- Sharing and playlists
- Many client apps
Airsonic vs Ampache: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Airsonic's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Ampache is actively maintained. Airsonic is written in Java, while Ampache is built with PHP. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Airsonic versus AGPL-3.0 for Ampache. Ampache is the more established project (first released 2001), while Airsonic arrived in 2017.
Why pick each one
Choose Airsonic if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (2k GitHub stars)
- Written in Java
Watch out for
- Original repo less active
- Java memory usage
Choose Ampache if…
- Long-established project
- Flexible catalog options
Watch out for
- Configuration can be complex
- Dated areas of the UI
Frequently asked questions
Is Airsonic or Ampache better?
Neither is universally better. Ampache has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Airsonic and Ampache free and open-source?
Yes. Airsonic is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Ampache under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Airsonic and Ampache with Docker?
Airsonic: yes. Ampache: yes.