Amperfy vs Navidrome
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted media servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Navidrome
Modern music streaming server for your collection
| Feature | Amperfy | Navidrome |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | ≈5-minute setup |
| Health score | 84 · Excellent | 97 · Excellent |
| Category | Media Servers | Media Servers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Swift | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,759 | ★ 23,749 |
| First released | 2021 | 2019 |
| Replaces | Spotify, Apple Music | Spotify |
What are Amperfy and Navidrome?
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
Navidrome
Navidrome is a lightweight music server and streamer that is compatible with Subsonic API clients. It suits music collectors who want to stream their own library anywhere. It is deployed via Docker or a single binary.
- Subsonic API compatibility
- Fast modern web player
- Multi-user with playlists
- Low resource usage
Amperfy vs Navidrome: key differences
Amperfy is written in Swift, while Navidrome is built with Go. Navidrome is the more established project (first released 2019), while Amperfy arrived in 2021. Navidrome has the considerably larger community, at 23,749 GitHub stars versus 1,759. Navidrome 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 Navidrome if…
- Very lightweight
- Works with many mobile apps
- Easy to set up
Watch out for
- Music only
- No video support
Frequently asked questions
Is Amperfy or Navidrome better?
Neither is universally better. Navidrome has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Amperfy and Navidrome free and open-source?
Yes. Amperfy is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Navidrome under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Amperfy and Navidrome with Docker?
Amperfy: check the project docs for container support. Navidrome: yes.