COPS vs Storyteller
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted e-books & media library options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Storyteller
Self-hosted server that syncs ebooks with audiobooks
| Feature | COPS | Storyteller |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | E-books & Media Library | E-books & Media Library |
| License | GPL-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 134 | ★ 1,500 |
| First released | 2013 | 2024 |
| Replaces | Kindle | Audible, Kindle |
What are COPS and Storyteller?
COPS
COPS is a lightweight Calibre OPDS and HTML PHP server that exposes a Calibre library without needing Calibre running. It targets users wanting a minimal way to share their library. It is deployed via Docker or a PHP stack.
- OPDS and HTML catalog
- Reads Calibre metadata database
- Very lightweight
- No Calibre process needed
Storyteller
Storyteller is a self-hosted platform that synchronizes the text of an ebook with its audiobook narration. This lets you seamlessly switch between reading and listening while keeping your place.
- Syncs ebook text with audio
- Switch between read and listen
- Self-hosted server
- Companion mobile apps
COPS vs Storyteller: key differences
COPS is written in PHP, while Storyteller is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for COPS versus AGPL-3.0 for Storyteller. COPS is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Storyteller. COPS is the more established project (first released 2013), while Storyteller arrived in 2024. Storyteller has the considerably larger community, at 1,500 GitHub stars versus 134.
Why pick each one
Choose COPS if…
- Extremely lightweight
- Easy to host
- Good OPDS support
Watch out for
- Read-only catalog
- Basic interface
Choose Storyteller if…
- Unique read-listen sync
- Privacy friendly
Watch out for
- Newer project
- Processing is resource intensive
Frequently asked questions
Is COPS or Storyteller better?
Neither is universally better. Storyteller has the larger community, while COPS is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are COPS and Storyteller free and open-source?
Yes. COPS is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Storyteller under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run COPS and Storyteller with Docker?
COPS: yes. Storyteller: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, COPS or Storyteller?
COPS has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Storyteller. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.