Koodo Reader vs Petrolette
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?
Koodo Reader
Cross-platform ebook reader with annotations and sync
VS
Petrolette
The news reader that doesn't know you
| Feature | Koodo Reader | Petrolette |
|---|---|---|
| Category | E-books & Media Library | E-books & Media Library |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0-only |
| Language | JavaScript | |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 50 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 27,803 | — |
| First released | 2020 | 2023 |
| Replaces | Calibre, Apple Books | Netvibes |
Why pick each one
Choose Koodo Reader if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 27.8k GitHub stars
Choose Petrolette if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0-only license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Tiny footprint — runs in 50 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Koodo Reader or Petrolette better?
Neither is universally better. Koodo Reader has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Koodo Reader and Petrolette free and open-source?
Yes. Koodo Reader is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Petrolette under AGPL-3.0-only. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Koodo Reader and Petrolette with Docker?
Koodo Reader: yes. Petrolette: check the project docs for container support.