Amperfy vs Funkwhale
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted media servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Funkwhale
Federated music streaming and sharing platform
| Feature | Amperfy | Funkwhale |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | Media Servers | Media Servers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Swift | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,761 | ★ 2,700 |
| First released | 2021 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Spotify, Apple Music | Spotify |
What are Amperfy and Funkwhale?
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
Funkwhale
Funkwhale is a self-hosted, federated music server for streaming and sharing audio, including support for podcasts and community libraries. It targets musicians and communities wanting a social music platform. It is deployed via Docker.
- ActivityPub federation
- Music and podcast streaming
- Subsonic API compatibility
- Community libraries
Amperfy vs Funkwhale: key differences
Amperfy is written in Swift, while Funkwhale is built with Python. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Amperfy versus AGPL-3.0 for Funkwhale. Amperfy is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Funkwhale. Funkwhale is the more established project (first released 2017), while Amperfy arrived in 2021. Funkwhale lists first-class Docker deployment; Amperfy does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Amperfy if…
- Native iOS experience
- Supports two server APIs
Watch out for
- iOS only
- Music only
Choose Funkwhale if…
- Federated and social
- Subsonic client support
- Podcast support
Watch out for
- Heavier setup
- Federation adds complexity
Frequently asked questions
Is Amperfy or Funkwhale better?
Neither is universally better. Funkwhale has the larger community, while Amperfy is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Amperfy and Funkwhale free and open-source?
Yes. Amperfy is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Funkwhale under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Amperfy and Funkwhale with Docker?
Amperfy: check the project docs for container support. Funkwhale: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Amperfy or Funkwhale?
Amperfy has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Funkwhale. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.