SHSelfHostIndex

Amperfy vs Gonic

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?
AM Amperfy iOS music streaming client for Ampache and Subsonic VS GO Gonic Lightweight Subsonic-compatible music streaming server
FeatureAmperfyGonic
Deploy effortRead-the-docs projectUnder-an-hour setup
Health score84 · Excellent86 · Excellent
CategoryMedia ServersMedia Servers
LicenseGPL-3.0GPL-3.0
LanguageSwiftGo
Setup difficultyEasyEasy
Min. RAM128 MB128 MB
Deploymentbinary, sourcedocker, binary
GitHub stars★ 1,761★ 2,555
First released20212019
ReplacesSpotify, Apple MusicSpotify, Plex

What are Amperfy and Gonic?

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

Read the full Amperfy guide →

Gonic

Gonic is a fast, lightweight music streaming server compatible with the Subsonic API. Written in Go, it works well on low-power hardware and supports podcasts and multiple music folders.

  • Subsonic API compatible
  • Very low resource use
  • Podcast support
  • Multiple music folders

Read the full Gonic guide →

Amperfy vs Gonic: key differences

Amperfy is written in Swift, while Gonic is built with Go. Gonic is the more established project (first released 2019), while Amperfy arrived in 2021. Gonic 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
Amperfy details

Choose Gonic if…

  • Runs on Raspberry Pi easily
  • Works with many Subsonic clients

Watch out for

  • No built-in web player polish
  • Minimal admin UI
Gonic details

Frequently asked questions

Is Amperfy or Gonic better?

Neither is universally better. Gonic has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.

Are Amperfy and Gonic free and open-source?

Yes. Amperfy is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Gonic under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Amperfy and Gonic with Docker?

Amperfy: check the project docs for container support. Gonic: yes.

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