Koha 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.
Not the right match-up?
Koha
Enterprise-class ILS with modules for acquisitions, circulation,
VS
KOReader
Document and ebook reader for e-ink and mobile devices
| Feature | Koha | KOReader |
|---|---|---|
| Category | E-books & Media Library | E-books & Media Library |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Perl | Lua |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 583 | ★ 28,800 |
| First released | 2020 | 2012 |
| Replaces | — | Kindle, Pocketbook reader |
Why pick each one
Choose Koha if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Written in Perl
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Choose KOReader if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Mature project with 28.8k GitHub stars
- Written in Lua
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Koha or KOReader better?
Neither is universally better. KOReader has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Koha and KOReader free and open-source?
Yes. Koha is licensed under GPL-3.0 and KOReader under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Koha and KOReader with Docker?
Koha: check the project docs for container support. KOReader: check the project docs for container support.