KOReader vs manga-py
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?
KOReader
Document and ebook reader for e-ink and mobile devices
VS
manga-py
Command-line manga downloader for many sources
| Feature | KOReader | manga-py |
|---|---|---|
| Category | E-books & Media Library | E-books & Media Library |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | Lua | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | bare-metal, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 28,800 | ★ 524 |
| First released | 2012 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Kindle, Pocketbook reader | Manual downloads |
Why pick each one
Choose KOReader if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Mature project with 28.8k GitHub stars
- Written in Lua
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is KOReader or manga-py better?
Neither is universally better. KOReader has the larger community, while manga-py is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are KOReader and manga-py free and open-source?
Yes. KOReader is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and manga-py under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run KOReader and manga-py with Docker?
KOReader: check the project docs for container support. manga-py: check the project docs for container support.