Docspell vs Kavita
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?
Docspell
Personal document organizer with automatic metadata
VS
Kavita
Fast self-hosted digital library for all reading
| Feature | Docspell | Kavita |
|---|---|---|
| Category | E-books & Media Library | E-books & Media Library |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Elm | C# |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,290 | ★ 11,431 |
| First released | 2019 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Evernote, DEVONthink | Kindle, ComiXology |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is Docspell or Kavita better?
Kavita is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Docspell if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Docspell and Kavita free and open-source?
Yes. Docspell is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Kavita under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Docspell and Kavita with Docker?
Docspell: yes. Kavita: yes.