DeDRM Tools vs KOHighlights
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?
DeDRM Tools
Calibre plugin suite for removing DRM from purchased ebooks
VS
KOHighlights
Viewer and exporter for KOReader book highlights
| Feature | DeDRM Tools | KOHighlights |
|---|---|---|
| Category | E-books & Media Library | E-books & Media Library |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | Python | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | source | binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 15,275 | ★ 262 |
| First released | 2014 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Adobe Digital Editions | Kindle Notebook export |
Why pick each one
Choose DeDRM Tools if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Mature project with 15.3k GitHub stars
- Written in Python
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Choose KOHighlights if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in Python
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is DeDRM Tools or KOHighlights better?
Neither is universally better. DeDRM Tools has the larger community, while KOHighlights is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are DeDRM Tools and KOHighlights free and open-source?
Yes. DeDRM Tools is licensed under GPL-3.0 and KOHighlights under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run DeDRM Tools and KOHighlights with Docker?
DeDRM Tools: check the project docs for container support. KOHighlights: check the project docs for container support.