Fladder vs Kyoo
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted media servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Fladder | Kyoo |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 87 · Excellent | 86 · Excellent |
| Category | Media Servers | Media Servers |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Dart | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,599 | ★ 2,527 |
| First released | 2024 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Plex, Emby Theater | Plex, Netflix |
What are Fladder and Kyoo?
Fladder
Fladder is a cross-platform Jellyfin client built with Flutter, supporting Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, and the web. It provides library browsing, media playback, and downloads in a single unified codebase.
- One codebase for all platforms
- MPV-based playback
- Offline downloads
- SyncPlay support
Kyoo
Kyoo is a self-hosted media browser and streaming application for movies, TV shows, and anime. It automatically fetches metadata and offers a modern web and mobile interface for your library.
- Automatic metadata scraping
- Modern web UI
- Anime support
- Multi-user accounts
Fladder vs Kyoo: key differences
Fladder is written in Dart, while Kyoo is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — MIT for Fladder versus GPL-3.0 for Kyoo. Fladder is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Kyoo. Kyoo is the more established project (first released 2020), while Fladder arrived in 2024. Kyoo lists first-class Docker deployment; Fladder does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Fladder if…
- Truly cross-platform
- Lightweight
Watch out for
- Younger project
- Requires Jellyfin server
Choose Kyoo if…
- Clean modern design
- Good anime handling
Watch out for
- Smaller community
- Still maturing
Frequently asked questions
Is Fladder or Kyoo better?
Fladder is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Kyoo if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Fladder and Kyoo free and open-source?
Yes. Fladder is licensed under MIT and Kyoo under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Fladder and Kyoo with Docker?
Fladder: check the project docs for container support. Kyoo: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Fladder or Kyoo?
Fladder has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Kyoo. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.