Finamp vs Funkwhale
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted media servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Funkwhale
Federated music streaming and sharing platform
| Feature | Finamp | Funkwhale |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | Media Servers | Media Servers |
| License | MPL-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Dart | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,279 | ★ 2,700 |
| First released | 2021 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Plexamp, Spotify | Spotify |
What are Finamp and Funkwhale?
Finamp
Finamp is a free and open-source music client for Jellyfin built with Flutter for Android and iOS. It allows downloading albums and playlists for offline listening and supports gapless playback and transcoding.
- Offline music downloads
- Gapless playback
- Transcoded streaming
- Cross-platform mobile
Funkwhale
Funkwhale is a self-hosted, federated music server for streaming and sharing audio, including support for podcasts and community libraries. It targets musicians and communities wanting a social music platform. It is deployed via Docker.
- ActivityPub federation
- Music and podcast streaming
- Subsonic API compatibility
- Community libraries
Finamp vs Funkwhale: key differences
Finamp is written in Dart, while Funkwhale is built with Python. Licensing differs — MPL-2.0 for Finamp versus AGPL-3.0 for Funkwhale. Finamp is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Funkwhale. Funkwhale is the more established project (first released 2017), while Finamp arrived in 2021. Funkwhale lists first-class Docker deployment; Finamp does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Finamp if…
- Reliable offline mode
- Active community
Watch out for
- Mobile only
- Requires Jellyfin server
Choose Funkwhale if…
- Federated and social
- Subsonic client support
- Podcast support
Watch out for
- Heavier setup
- Federation adds complexity
Frequently asked questions
Is Finamp or Funkwhale better?
Finamp is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Funkwhale if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Finamp and Funkwhale free and open-source?
Yes. Finamp is licensed under MPL-2.0 and Funkwhale under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Finamp and Funkwhale with Docker?
Finamp: check the project docs for container support. Funkwhale: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Finamp or Funkwhale?
Finamp has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Funkwhale. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.