Komga vs Storyteller
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
Storyteller
Self-hosted server that syncs ebooks with audiobooks
| Feature | Komga | Storyteller |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | E-books & Media Library | E-books & Media Library |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Kotlin | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 6,688 | ★ 1,500 |
| First released | 2019 | 2024 |
| Replaces | ComiXology, Kindle | Audible, Kindle |
What are Komga and Storyteller?
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
Storyteller
Storyteller is a self-hosted platform that synchronizes the text of an ebook with its audiobook narration. This lets you seamlessly switch between reading and listening while keeping your place.
- Syncs ebook text with audio
- Switch between read and listen
- Self-hosted server
- Companion mobile apps
Komga vs Storyteller: key differences
Komga is written in Kotlin, while Storyteller is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — MIT for Komga versus AGPL-3.0 for Storyteller. Komga is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Storyteller. Komga is the more established project (first released 2019), while Storyteller arrived in 2024. Komga has the considerably larger community, at 6,688 GitHub stars versus 1,500.
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 Storyteller if…
- Unique read-listen sync
- Privacy friendly
Watch out for
- Newer project
- Processing is resource intensive
Frequently asked questions
Is Komga or Storyteller better?
Komga is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Storyteller if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Komga and Storyteller free and open-source?
Yes. Komga is licensed under MIT and Storyteller under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Komga and Storyteller with Docker?
Komga: yes. Storyteller: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Komga or Storyteller?
Komga has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Storyteller. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.