Gonic vs LMS
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted media servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Gonic
Lightweight Subsonic-compatible music streaming server
VS
LMS
Lightweight music server with Subsonic API support
| Feature | Gonic | LMS |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Media Servers | Media Servers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Go | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,496 | ★ 1,654 |
| First released | 2019 | 2014 |
| Replaces | Spotify, Plex | Spotify |
Why pick each one
Choose LMS if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (1.7k GitHub stars)
- Written in C++
Frequently asked questions
Is Gonic or LMS better?
Gonic is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider LMS if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Gonic and LMS free and open-source?
Yes. Gonic is licensed under GPL-3.0 and LMS under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Gonic and LMS with Docker?
Gonic: yes. LMS: yes.