Calibre-Web vs OpenBooks
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted e-books & media library options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Calibre-Web
Web app to browse and read your Calibre library
VS
OpenBooks
Search and download ebooks from IRC Highway
| Feature | Calibre-Web | OpenBooks |
|---|---|---|
| Category | E-books & Media Library | E-books & Media Library |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | HTML | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 17,830 | ★ 2,390 |
| First released | 2017 | 2019 |
| Replaces | Kindle, Goodreads | Kindle Store |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is Calibre-Web or OpenBooks better?
Neither is universally better. Calibre-Web has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Calibre-Web and OpenBooks free and open-source?
Yes. Calibre-Web is licensed under GPL-3.0 and OpenBooks under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Calibre-Web and OpenBooks with Docker?
Calibre-Web: yes. OpenBooks: yes.