Finamp vs OwnTone
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted media servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
OwnTone
Media server with AirPlay, Chromecast and Spotify support
| Feature | Finamp | OwnTone |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 74 · Good | 87 · Excellent |
| Category | Media Servers | Media Servers |
| License | MPL-2.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | Dart | C |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,279 | ★ 2,560 |
| First released | 2021 | 2009 |
| Replaces | Plexamp, Spotify | Spotify, Apple Music |
What are Finamp and OwnTone?
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
OwnTone
OwnTone is a media server that streams music to AirPlay and Chromecast devices, with support for Spotify and internet radio. It serves your local library through DAAP and the Subsonic API.
- AirPlay and Chromecast output
- Spotify integration
- Internet radio
Finamp vs OwnTone: key differences
Finamp is written in Dart, while OwnTone is built with C. Licensing differs — MPL-2.0 for Finamp versus GPL-2.0 for OwnTone. OwnTone is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Finamp. OwnTone is the more established project (first released 2009), while Finamp arrived in 2021. OwnTone 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 OwnTone if…
- Excellent AirPlay support
- Low footprint
Watch out for
- Web UI is minimal
- Configuration via files
Frequently asked questions
Is Finamp or OwnTone better?
Finamp is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider OwnTone if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Finamp and OwnTone free and open-source?
Yes. Finamp is licensed under MPL-2.0 and OwnTone under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Finamp and OwnTone with Docker?
Finamp: check the project docs for container support. OwnTone: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Finamp or OwnTone?
OwnTone has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Finamp. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.