Firefox Account Server vs Shaarli

A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted bookmarks & read-it-later options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.

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FeatureFirefox Account ServerShaarli
CategoryBookmarks & Read-It-LaterBookmarks & Read-It-Later
LicenseMPL-2.0GPL-3.0
LanguageTypeScriptPHP
Setup difficultyMediumEasy
Min. RAM512 MB128 MB
Deploymentbare-metaldocker, bare-metal
GitHub stars★ 682★ 3,888
First released20252013
ReplacesPocket, Delicious

Why pick each one

Choose Firefox Account Server if…

  • Released under the MPL-2.0 license
  • Written in TypeScript
  • Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Firefox Account Server details

Choose Shaarli if…

  • Extremely lightweight
  • Easy to back up
  • Can be public or private
Shaarli details

Frequently asked questions

Is Firefox Account Server or Shaarli better?

Shaarli is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Firefox Account Server if its specific feature set fits your needs better.

Are Firefox Account Server and Shaarli free and open-source?

Yes. Firefox Account Server is licensed under MPL-2.0 and Shaarli under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Firefox Account Server and Shaarli with Docker?

Firefox Account Server: check the project docs for container support. Shaarli: yes.

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