Komga 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.
Komga
Media server for comics, manga and e-books
VS
KOReader
Document and ebook reader for e-ink and mobile devices
| Feature | Komga | KOReader |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 91 · Excellent | 98 · Excellent |
| Category | E-books & Media Library | E-books & Media Library |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Kotlin | Lua |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 6,688 | ★ 29,880 |
| First released | 2019 | 2012 |
| Replaces | ComiXology, Kindle | Kindle, Pocketbook reader |
What are Komga and KOReader?
Komga
Komga is a self-hosted media server focused on comics, manga, BD, and e-books with a clean web reader and OPDS support. It targets comic and manga collectors. It is deployed via Docker.
- Comic and manga focused
- Web reader with OPDS
- Metadata and collections
- REST API
KOReader
KOReader is an open-source document viewer for EPUB, PDF, DjVu, and many other formats, optimized for e-ink screens. It can connect to self-hosted OPDS catalogs and supports syncing reading progress.
- E-ink optimized rendering
- Many document formats
- OPDS catalog support
- Reading progress sync
Komga vs KOReader: key differences
Komga is written in Kotlin, while KOReader is built with Lua. Licensing differs — MIT for Komga versus AGPL-3.0 for KOReader. KOReader is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Komga. KOReader is the more established project (first released 2012), while Komga arrived in 2019. KOReader has the considerably larger community, at 29,880 GitHub stars versus 6,688. Komga lists first-class Docker deployment; KOReader does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Komga if…
- Excellent for comics
- Good metadata handling
- OPDS for apps
Watch out for
- Less ideal for plain e-books
- Niche focus
Choose KOReader if…
- Excellent e-ink support
- Huge format support
- Highly customizable reading
Watch out for
- Dense menu system
- Install varies by device
Frequently asked questions
Is Komga or KOReader better?
Neither is universally better. KOReader has the larger community, while Komga is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Komga and KOReader free and open-source?
Yes. Komga is licensed under MIT and KOReader under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Komga and KOReader with Docker?
Komga: yes. KOReader: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Komga or KOReader?
KOReader has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Komga. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.