Foliate vs Komga
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted e-books & media library options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Komga
Media server for comics, manga and e-books
| Feature | Foliate | Komga |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 65 · Good | 91 · Excellent |
| Category | E-books & Media Library | E-books & Media Library |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | JavaScript | Kotlin |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 8,756 | ★ 6,688 |
| First released | 2019 | 2019 |
| Replaces | Kindle | ComiXology, Kindle |
What are Foliate and Komga?
Foliate
Foliate is an open-source ebook reader for the Linux desktop built with GTK. It reads EPUB and other ebook formats with a clean paginated view, customizable themes, annotations, and offline reading. It is a desktop app, not a server.
- Ebook reading
- EPUB and PDF support
- Annotations and highlights
- Offline reading
Komga
Komga is a self-hosted media server focused on comics, manga, BD, and e-books with a clean web reader and OPDS support. It targets comic and manga collectors. It is deployed via Docker.
- Comic and manga focused
- Web reader with OPDS
- Metadata and collections
- REST API
Foliate vs Komga: key differences
Foliate is written in JavaScript, while Komga is built with Kotlin. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Foliate versus MIT for Komga. Foliate is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Komga.
Why pick each one
Choose Foliate if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 8.8k GitHub stars
Watch out for
- Primarily a desktop reader
- See Foliate desktop app
Choose Komga if…
- Excellent for comics
- Good metadata handling
- OPDS for apps
Watch out for
- Less ideal for plain e-books
- Niche focus
Frequently asked questions
Is Foliate or Komga better?
Neither is universally better. Foliate has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Foliate and Komga free and open-source?
Yes. Foliate is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Komga under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Foliate and Komga with Docker?
Foliate: yes. Komga: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Foliate or Komga?
Foliate has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Komga. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.