SHSelfHostIndex

Gonic vs Tempo

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?
GO Gonic Lightweight Subsonic-compatible music streaming server VS TE Tempo Material You Subsonic music client for Android
FeatureGonicTempo
Deploy effortUnder-an-hour setupRead-the-docs project
Health score86 · Excellent20 · At risk
CategoryMedia ServersMedia Servers
LicenseGPL-3.0GPL-3.0
LanguageGoJava
Setup difficultyEasyEasy
Min. RAM128 MB128 MB
Deploymentdocker, binarybinary, source
GitHub stars★ 2,555★ 2,240
First released20192022
ReplacesSpotify, PlexSpotify, Plexamp

What are Gonic and Tempo?

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

Read the full Gonic guide →

Tempo

Tempo is a free and open-source music streaming client for Subsonic-compatible servers such as Navidrome and Airsonic. It features a Material You interface, offline downloads, and Android Auto support.

  • Subsonic API support
  • Material You theming
  • Android Auto
  • Offline downloads

Read the full Tempo guide →

Gonic vs Tempo: key differences

Gonic is written in Go, while Tempo is built with Java. Gonic is the more established project (first released 2019), while Tempo arrived in 2022. Gonic lists first-class Docker deployment; Tempo 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
Gonic details

Choose Tempo if…

  • Modern Android design
  • Works with multiple servers

Watch out for

  • Android only
  • No video support
Tempo details

Frequently asked questions

Is Gonic or Tempo 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 Tempo free and open-source?

Yes. Gonic is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Tempo under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Gonic and Tempo with Docker?

Gonic: yes. Tempo: check the project docs for container support.

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