Komga vs Manga-Tagger
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
Manga-Tagger
Automated metadata tagging tool for manga archives
| Feature | Komga | Manga-Tagger |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 91 · Excellent | 6 · At risk |
| Category | E-books & Media Library | E-books & Media Library |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | Kotlin | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 6,688 | ★ 191 |
| First released | 2019 | 2019 |
| Replaces | ComiXology, Kindle | ComiXology |
What are Komga and Manga-Tagger?
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
Manga-Tagger
Manga-Tagger is an automated tool that renames and embeds rich metadata into manga archive files. It pulls data from AniList and MyAnimeList so readers like Komga display accurate series information.
- Automatic manga metadata tagging
- File renaming
- AniList and MAL sources
- Reader-friendly output
Komga vs Manga-Tagger: key differences
Komga is written in Kotlin, while Manga-Tagger is built with Python. Manga-Tagger is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Komga. Komga has the considerably larger community, at 6,688 GitHub stars versus 191.
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 Manga-Tagger if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Python
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Watch out for
- Companion tool only
- Manga-specific
Frequently asked questions
Is Komga or Manga-Tagger better?
Komga is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Manga-Tagger if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Komga and Manga-Tagger free and open-source?
Yes. Komga is licensed under MIT and Manga-Tagger under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Komga and Manga-Tagger with Docker?
Komga: yes. Manga-Tagger: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Komga or Manga-Tagger?
Manga-Tagger 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.