mStream vs OwnTone
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted media servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
OwnTone
Media server with AirPlay, Chromecast and Spotify support
| Feature | mStream | OwnTone |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 86 · Excellent | 87 · Excellent |
| Category | Media Servers | Media Servers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | C |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, binary | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,397 | ★ 2,560 |
| First released | 2016 | 2009 |
| Replaces | Spotify | Spotify, Apple Music |
What are mStream and OwnTone?
mStream
mStream is a personal music streaming server that you can run on any computer to access your music from anywhere. It includes mobile apps for offline downloads and playlist syncing.
- Cross-platform mobile apps
- Offline song downloads
- Playlist sync
- Lightweight server
OwnTone
OwnTone is a media server that streams music to AirPlay and Chromecast devices, with support for Spotify and internet radio. It serves your local library through DAAP and the Subsonic API.
- AirPlay and Chromecast output
- Spotify integration
- Internet radio
mStream vs OwnTone: key differences
MStream is written in JavaScript, while OwnTone is built with C. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for mStream versus GPL-2.0 for OwnTone. OwnTone is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for mStream. OwnTone is the more established project (first released 2009), while mStream arrived in 2016.
Why pick each one
Choose mStream if…
- Easy to install
- Good mobile experience
Watch out for
- Basic web UI
- Slower release cadence
Choose OwnTone if…
- Excellent AirPlay support
- Low footprint
Watch out for
- Web UI is minimal
- Configuration via files
Frequently asked questions
Is mStream or OwnTone better?
Neither is universally better. OwnTone has the larger community, while mStream is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are mStream and OwnTone free and open-source?
Yes. mStream is licensed under GPL-3.0 and OwnTone under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run mStream and OwnTone with Docker?
mStream: yes. OwnTone: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, mStream or OwnTone?
OwnTone has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for mStream. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.