Wikidpad Notes vs Readest
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?
Wikidpad Notes
Self-hosted PDF and document library with reading view
VS
Readest
Cross-platform ebook reader with sync server
| Feature | Wikidpad Notes | Readest |
|---|---|---|
| Category | E-books & Media Library | E-books & Media Library |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 8,614 | ★ 23,192 |
| First released | 2019 | 2024 |
| Replaces | Kindle | Kindle, Apple Books |
Why pick each one
Choose Wikidpad Notes if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 8.6k GitHub stars
Choose Readest if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 23.2k GitHub stars
- Written in TypeScript
Frequently asked questions
Is Wikidpad Notes or Readest better?
Neither is universally better. Readest has the larger community, while Wikidpad Notes is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Wikidpad Notes and Readest free and open-source?
Yes. Wikidpad Notes is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Readest under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Wikidpad Notes and Readest with Docker?
Wikidpad Notes: yes. Readest: yes.