KOReader vs OpenBooks
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
OpenBooks
Search and download ebooks from IRC Highway
| Feature | KOReader | OpenBooks |
|---|---|---|
| Category | E-books & Media Library | E-books & Media Library |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Lua | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 28,800 | ★ 2,390 |
| First released | 2012 | 2019 |
| Replaces | Kindle, Pocketbook reader | Kindle Store |
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 OpenBooks better?
Neither is universally better. KOReader has the larger community, while OpenBooks is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are KOReader and OpenBooks free and open-source?
Yes. KOReader is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and OpenBooks under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run KOReader and OpenBooks with Docker?
KOReader: check the project docs for container support. OpenBooks: yes.