Ampache vs Swing Music
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted media servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Ampache
Web-based audio and video streaming application
VS
Swing Music
Self-hosted music player with a modern interface
| Feature | Ampache | Swing Music |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Media Servers | Media Servers |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | PHP | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, binary, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,815 | ★ 2,035 |
| First released | 2001 | 2022 |
| Replaces | Spotify | Spotify, Apple Music |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is Ampache or Swing Music better?
Neither is universally better. Ampache has the larger community, while Swing Music is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Ampache and Swing Music free and open-source?
Yes. Ampache is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Swing Music under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Ampache and Swing Music with Docker?
Ampache: yes. Swing Music: yes.