Calibre-Web vs Plato
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
Plato
Document reader for Kobo e-readers
| Feature | Calibre-Web | Plato |
|---|---|---|
| Category | E-books & Media Library | E-books & Media Library |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | HTML | Rust |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 17,830 | ★ 1,687 |
| First released | 2017 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Kindle, Goodreads | Kobo reader app, Kindle |
Why pick each one
Choose Plato if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Active community (1.7k GitHub stars)
- Written in Rust
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Calibre-Web or Plato better?
Calibre-Web is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Plato if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Calibre-Web and Plato free and open-source?
Yes. Calibre-Web is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Plato under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Calibre-Web and Plato with Docker?
Calibre-Web: yes. Plato: check the project docs for container support.