Calibre-Web vs Petrolette
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
Petrolette
The news reader that doesn't know you
| Feature | Calibre-Web | Petrolette |
|---|---|---|
| Category | E-books & Media Library | E-books & Media Library |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0-only |
| Language | HTML | |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 50 MB |
| Deployment | docker | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 17,830 | — |
| First released | 2017 | 2023 |
| Replaces | Kindle, Goodreads | Netvibes |
Why pick each one
Choose Petrolette if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0-only license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Tiny footprint — runs in 50 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Calibre-Web or Petrolette 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 Petrolette free and open-source?
Yes. Calibre-Web is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Petrolette under AGPL-3.0-only. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Calibre-Web and Petrolette with Docker?
Calibre-Web: yes. Petrolette: check the project docs for container support.