Ampache vs Feishin
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted media servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Ampache | Feishin |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | ≈5-minute setup |
| Health score | 88 · Excellent | 93 · Excellent |
| Category | Media Servers | Media Servers |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,832 | ★ 9,986 |
| First released | 2001 | 2023 |
| Replaces | Spotify | Spotify |
What are Ampache and Feishin?
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
Feishin
Feishin is a modern, full-featured music player for Subsonic, Navidrome, and Jellyfin servers. It offers a polished desktop and web interface with synced lyrics, scrobbling, and theming.
- Subsonic and Jellyfin support
- Synced lyrics
- Scrobbling
- Desktop and web clients
Ampache vs Feishin: key differences
Ampache is written in PHP, while Feishin is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Ampache versus GPL-3.0 for Feishin. Feishin is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Ampache. Ampache is the more established project (first released 2001), while Feishin arrived in 2023. Feishin has the considerably larger community, at 9,986 GitHub stars versus 3,832.
Why pick each one
Choose Ampache if…
- Long-established project
- Flexible catalog options
Watch out for
- Configuration can be complex
- Dated areas of the UI
Choose Feishin if…
- Beautiful modern UI
- Multi-server support
Watch out for
- Client only
- Requires an existing server
Frequently asked questions
Is Ampache or Feishin better?
Feishin is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Ampache if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Ampache and Feishin free and open-source?
Yes. Ampache is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Feishin under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Ampache and Feishin with Docker?
Ampache: yes. Feishin: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Ampache or Feishin?
Feishin has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Ampache. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.