LibreX vs MetaGer
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted search engines options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | LibreX | MetaGer |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | Search Engines | Search Engines |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 846 | ★ 200 |
| First released | 2021 | 1996 |
| Replaces | Google Search | Google Search, Bing |
What are LibreX and MetaGer?
LibreX
LibreX is a free, open-source metasearch engine that delivers private search results without ads or tracking. It aggregates results from multiple engines and proxies them for user privacy.
- Ad-free private search
- Aggregates multiple engines
- No JavaScript required
- Lightweight PHP implementation
MetaGer
MetaGer is an open-source metasearch engine that aggregates results from multiple sources while protecting user privacy. Its core software can be deployed to run a self-hosted private search portal.
- Aggregated metasearch
- Privacy protection
- Result anonymization
- Configurable sources
LibreX vs MetaGer: key differences
Both projects are written in PHP. LibreX is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for MetaGer. MetaGer is the more established project (first released 1996), while LibreX arrived in 2021. LibreX has the considerably larger community, at 846 GitHub stars versus 200.
Why pick each one
Choose LibreX if…
- Simple to deploy
- Minimal footprint
Watch out for
- Smaller engine selection
Choose MetaGer if…
- Strong privacy stance
- Long-running project
Watch out for
- Heavier than minimal metasearch
- PHP stack
Frequently asked questions
Is LibreX or MetaGer better?
LibreX is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider MetaGer if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are LibreX and MetaGer free and open-source?
Yes. LibreX is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and MetaGer under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run LibreX and MetaGer with Docker?
LibreX: yes. MetaGer: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, LibreX or MetaGer?
LibreX has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for MetaGer. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.