KOReader vs Readflow
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
Readflow
Track your Kobo reads on Anilist.co and Hardcover.app using
| Feature | KOReader | Readflow |
|---|---|---|
| Category | E-books & Media Library | E-books & Media Library |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MPL-2.0 |
| Language | Lua | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 50 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 28,800 | ★ 23 |
| First released | 2012 | 2025 |
| Replaces | Kindle, Pocketbook reader | — |
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
Choose Readflow if…
- Released under the MPL-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in Go
- Tiny footprint — runs in 50 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is KOReader or Readflow better?
Neither is universally better. KOReader has the larger community, while Readflow is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are KOReader and Readflow free and open-source?
Yes. KOReader is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Readflow under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run KOReader and Readflow with Docker?
KOReader: check the project docs for container support. Readflow: check the project docs for container support.