Airsonic vs Tempo
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
Tempo
Material You Subsonic music client for Android
| Feature | Airsonic | Tempo |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 15 · At risk | 20 · At risk |
| Status | Archived | Actively maintained |
| Category | Media Servers | Media Servers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Java | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,045 | ★ 2,240 |
| First released | 2017 | 2022 |
| Replaces | Spotify | Spotify, Plexamp |
What are Airsonic and Tempo?
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
Tempo
Tempo is a free and open-source music streaming client for Subsonic-compatible servers such as Navidrome and Airsonic. It features a Material You interface, offline downloads, and Android Auto support.
- Subsonic API support
- Material You theming
- Android Auto
- Offline downloads
Airsonic vs Tempo: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Airsonic's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Tempo is actively maintained. Both projects are written in Java. Tempo is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Airsonic. Airsonic is the more established project (first released 2017), while Tempo arrived in 2022. Airsonic lists first-class Docker deployment; Tempo does not.
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 Tempo if…
- Modern Android design
- Works with multiple servers
Watch out for
- Android only
- No video support
Frequently asked questions
Is Airsonic or Tempo better?
Tempo is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Airsonic if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Airsonic and Tempo free and open-source?
Yes. Airsonic is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Tempo under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Airsonic and Tempo with Docker?
Airsonic: yes. Tempo: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Airsonic or Tempo?
Tempo has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Airsonic. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.