KOReader vs Thorium Reader
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
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Thorium Reader
Open-source EPUB and audiobook reader for desktops
| Feature | KOReader | Thorium Reader |
|---|---|---|
| Category | E-books & Media Library | E-books & Media Library |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | BSD-3-Clause |
| Language | Lua | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 28,800 | ★ 2,816 |
| First released | 2012 | 2019 |
| Replaces | Kindle, Pocketbook reader | Adobe Digital Editions, Apple Books |
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 Thorium Reader if…
- Released under the BSD-3-Clause license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (2.8k GitHub stars)
- Written in TypeScript
Frequently asked questions
Is KOReader or Thorium Reader better?
Neither is universally better. KOReader has the larger community, while Thorium Reader is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are KOReader and Thorium Reader free and open-source?
Yes. KOReader is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Thorium Reader under BSD-3-Clause. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run KOReader and Thorium Reader with Docker?
KOReader: check the project docs for container support. Thorium Reader: check the project docs for container support.