Amperfy vs LMS
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted media servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Amperfy | LMS |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 84 · Excellent | 85 · Excellent |
| Category | Media Servers | Media Servers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Swift | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,761 | ★ 1,680 |
| First released | 2021 | 2014 |
| Replaces | Spotify, Apple Music | Spotify |
What are Amperfy and LMS?
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
LMS
LMS is a lightweight, self-hosted music streaming server with a focus on performance and a built-in recommendation engine. It exposes the Subsonic API for compatibility with a wide range of clients.
- Subsonic API compatible
- Music recommendations
- Low resource use
- Scrobbling support
Amperfy vs LMS: key differences
Amperfy is written in Swift, while LMS is built with C++. LMS is the more established project (first released 2014), while Amperfy arrived in 2021. LMS 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 LMS if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (1.7k GitHub stars)
- Written in C++
Watch out for
- Smaller community
- Web UI is functional but plain
Frequently asked questions
Is Amperfy or LMS better?
Amperfy is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider LMS if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Amperfy and LMS free and open-source?
Yes. Amperfy is licensed under GPL-3.0 and LMS under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Amperfy and LMS with Docker?
Amperfy: check the project docs for container support. LMS: yes.