KOReader vs Stump
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted e-books & media library options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Stump
Fast, low-resource comic and ebook media server
| Feature | KOReader | Stump |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 98 · Excellent | 87 · Excellent |
| Category | E-books & Media Library | E-books & Media Library |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | Lua | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 29,880 | ★ 2,714 |
| First released | 2012 | 2022 |
| Replaces | Kindle, Pocketbook reader | Kindle, ComiXology |
What are KOReader and Stump?
KOReader
KOReader is an open-source document viewer for EPUB, PDF, DjVu, and many other formats, optimized for e-ink screens. It can connect to self-hosted OPDS catalogs and supports syncing reading progress.
- E-ink optimized rendering
- Many document formats
- OPDS catalog support
- Reading progress sync
Stump
Stump is a free, open-source comic, manga, and ebook server built with Rust for speed and low resource use. It implements the OPDS standard and offers a modern web interface for browsing and reading.
- Comic and ebook serving
- OPDS support
- Modern web reader
- Very low resource use
KOReader vs Stump: key differences
KOReader is written in Lua, while Stump is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for KOReader versus MIT for Stump. KOReader is the more established project (first released 2012), while Stump arrived in 2022. KOReader has the considerably larger community, at 29,880 GitHub stars versus 2,714. Stump lists first-class Docker deployment; KOReader does not.
Why pick each one
Choose KOReader if…
- Excellent e-ink support
- Huge format support
- Highly customizable reading
Watch out for
- Dense menu system
- Install varies by device
Choose Stump if…
- Fast and lightweight
- Clean interface
Watch out for
- Still pre-1.0
- Fewer features than Komga
Frequently asked questions
Is KOReader or Stump better?
Neither is universally better. KOReader has the larger community, while Stump is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are KOReader and Stump free and open-source?
Yes. KOReader is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Stump under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run KOReader and Stump with Docker?
KOReader: check the project docs for container support. Stump: yes.