Foliate vs Plato
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 | Plato |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 65 · Good | 65 · Good |
| Category | E-books & Media Library | E-books & Media Library |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | Rust |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 8,756 | ★ 1,705 |
| First released | 2019 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Kindle | Kobo reader app, Kindle |
What are Foliate and Plato?
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
Plato
Plato is an open-source document reader built specifically for Kobo e-ink devices, supporting EPUB, PDF, CBZ, and more. It offers a library view, annotations, and connectivity to OPDS catalogs.
- Built for Kobo devices
- Multi-format support
- OPDS catalog access
- Annotations and bookmarks
Foliate vs Plato: key differences
Foliate is written in JavaScript, while Plato is built with Rust. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Foliate versus AGPL-3.0 for Plato. Plato is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Foliate. Plato is the more established project (first released 2017), while Foliate arrived in 2019. Foliate has the considerably larger community, at 8,756 GitHub stars versus 1,705. Foliate lists first-class Docker deployment; Plato 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 Plato if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Active community (1.7k GitHub stars)
- Written in Rust
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Foliate or Plato better?
Foliate is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Plato if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Foliate and Plato free and open-source?
Yes. Foliate is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Plato under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Foliate and Plato with Docker?
Foliate: yes. Plato: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Foliate or Plato?
Plato has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Foliate. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.