Amperfy vs OwnTone
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted media servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
OwnTone
Media server with AirPlay, Chromecast and Spotify support
| Feature | Amperfy | OwnTone |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 84 · Excellent | 87 · Excellent |
| Category | Media Servers | Media Servers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | Swift | C |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,759 | ★ 2,560 |
| First released | 2021 | 2009 |
| Replaces | Spotify, Apple Music | Spotify, Apple Music |
What are Amperfy and OwnTone?
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
OwnTone
OwnTone is a media server that streams music to AirPlay and Chromecast devices, with support for Spotify and internet radio. It serves your local library through DAAP and the Subsonic API.
- AirPlay and Chromecast output
- Spotify integration
- Internet radio
Amperfy vs OwnTone: key differences
Amperfy is written in Swift, while OwnTone is built with C. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Amperfy versus GPL-2.0 for OwnTone. OwnTone is the more established project (first released 2009), while Amperfy arrived in 2021. OwnTone 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 OwnTone if…
- Excellent AirPlay support
- Low footprint
Watch out for
- Web UI is minimal
- Configuration via files
Frequently asked questions
Is Amperfy or OwnTone better?
Neither is universally better. OwnTone 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 OwnTone free and open-source?
Yes. Amperfy is licensed under GPL-3.0 and OwnTone under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Amperfy and OwnTone with Docker?
Amperfy: check the project docs for container support. OwnTone: yes.