Amperfy vs Sonixd
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted media servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Amperfy | Sonixd |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 84 · Excellent | 15 · At risk |
| Status | Actively maintained | Archived |
| Category | Media Servers | Media Servers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Swift | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,761 | ★ 1,915 |
| First released | 2021 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Spotify, Apple Music | Spotify |
What are Amperfy and Sonixd?
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
Sonixd
Sonixd is a cross-platform desktop music player for Subsonic-compatible servers including Navidrome, Airsonic, and Funkwhale. It provides queue management, theming, and scrobbling for a desktop listening experience.
- Subsonic-compatible client
- Advanced queue management
- Theming
- Scrobbling support
Amperfy vs Sonixd: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Sonixd's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Amperfy is actively maintained. Amperfy is written in Swift, while Sonixd is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Amperfy versus AGPL-3.0 for Sonixd. Amperfy is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Sonixd.
Why pick each one
Choose Amperfy if…
- Native iOS experience
- Supports two server APIs
Watch out for
- iOS only
- Music only
Choose Sonixd if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (1.9k GitHub stars)
- Written in TypeScript
Watch out for
- Desktop client only
- No longer actively developed
Frequently asked questions
Is Amperfy or Sonixd better?
Neither is universally better. Sonixd has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Amperfy and Sonixd free and open-source?
Yes. Amperfy is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Sonixd under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Amperfy and Sonixd with Docker?
Amperfy: check the project docs for container support. Sonixd: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Amperfy or Sonixd?
Amperfy has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Sonixd. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.