Foliate vs KOReader
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted e-books & media library options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Foliate | KOReader |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 65 · Good | 98 · Excellent |
| Category | E-books & Media Library | E-books & Media Library |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | Lua |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 8,756 | ★ 29,880 |
| First released | 2019 | 2012 |
| Replaces | Kindle | Kindle, Pocketbook reader |
What are Foliate and KOReader?
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
KOReader
KOReader is an open-source document viewer for EPUB, PDF, DjVu, and many other formats, optimized for e-ink screens. It can connect to self-hosted OPDS catalogs and supports syncing reading progress.
- E-ink optimized rendering
- Many document formats
- OPDS catalog support
- Reading progress sync
Foliate vs KOReader: key differences
Foliate is written in JavaScript, while KOReader is built with Lua. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Foliate versus AGPL-3.0 for KOReader. KOReader is the more established project (first released 2012), while Foliate arrived in 2019. KOReader has the considerably larger community, at 29,880 GitHub stars versus 8,756. Foliate lists first-class Docker deployment; KOReader does not.
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 KOReader if…
- Excellent e-ink support
- Huge format support
- Highly customizable reading
Watch out for
- Dense menu system
- Install varies by device
Frequently asked questions
Is Foliate or KOReader better?
Neither is universally better. KOReader has the larger community, while Foliate is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Foliate and KOReader free and open-source?
Yes. Foliate is licensed under GPL-3.0 and KOReader under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Foliate and KOReader with Docker?
Foliate: yes. KOReader: check the project docs for container support.