Komga vs Librum
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
Librum
Modern e-book reader with self-hostable sync
| Feature | Komga | Librum |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 91 · Excellent | 59 · Fair |
| Category | E-books & Media Library | E-books & Media Library |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Kotlin | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 6,688 | ★ 5,319 |
| First released | 2019 | 2023 |
| Replaces | ComiXology, Kindle | Kindle, Goodreads |
What are Komga and Librum?
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
Librum
Librum is a modern e-book reader application with a clean interface and a self-hostable server for syncing a library across devices. It targets readers who want a private, synced reading setup. It is deployed via Docker.
- Modern cross-platform reader
- Self-hostable sync server
- Annotations and bookmarks
- Free e-book sources
Komga vs Librum: key differences
Komga is written in Kotlin, while Librum is built with C++. Licensing differs — MIT for Komga versus GPL-3.0 for Librum. Komga is the more established project (first released 2019), while Librum arrived in 2023.
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 Librum if…
- Clean modern reader
- Syncs across devices
- Open source
Watch out for
- Self-hosting sync is newer
- Smaller ecosystem
Frequently asked questions
Is Komga or Librum better?
Komga is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Librum if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Komga and Librum free and open-source?
Yes. Komga is licensed under MIT and Librum under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Komga and Librum with Docker?
Komga: yes. Librum: yes.