Gonic vs Sonixd
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted media servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Gonic | Sonixd |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 86 · Excellent | 15 · At risk |
| Status | Actively maintained | Archived |
| Category | Media Servers | Media Servers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Go | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,555 | ★ 1,915 |
| First released | 2019 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Spotify, Plex | Spotify |
What are Gonic and Sonixd?
Gonic
Gonic is a fast, lightweight music streaming server compatible with the Subsonic API. Written in Go, it works well on low-power hardware and supports podcasts and multiple music folders.
- Subsonic API compatible
- Very low resource use
- Podcast support
- Multiple music folders
Sonixd
Sonixd is a cross-platform desktop music player for Subsonic-compatible servers including Navidrome, Airsonic, and Funkwhale. It provides queue management, theming, and scrobbling for a desktop listening experience.
- Subsonic-compatible client
- Advanced queue management
- Theming
- Scrobbling support
Gonic vs Sonixd: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Sonixd's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Gonic is actively maintained. Gonic is written in Go, while Sonixd is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Gonic versus AGPL-3.0 for Sonixd. Gonic is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Sonixd. Gonic is the more established project (first released 2019), while Sonixd arrived in 2021. Gonic lists first-class Docker deployment; Sonixd does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Gonic if…
- Runs on Raspberry Pi easily
- Works with many Subsonic clients
Watch out for
- No built-in web player polish
- Minimal admin UI
Choose Sonixd if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (1.9k GitHub stars)
- Written in TypeScript
Watch out for
- Desktop client only
- No longer actively developed
Frequently asked questions
Is Gonic or Sonixd better?
Neither is universally better. Gonic has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Gonic and Sonixd free and open-source?
Yes. Gonic is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Sonixd under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Gonic and Sonixd with Docker?
Gonic: yes. Sonixd: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Gonic or Sonixd?
Gonic has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Sonixd. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.