mStream vs Sonixd
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted media servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | mStream | Sonixd |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 86 · Excellent | 15 · At risk |
| Status | Actively maintained | Archived |
| Category | Media Servers | Media Servers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, binary | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,397 | ★ 1,915 |
| First released | 2016 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Spotify | Spotify |
What are mStream and Sonixd?
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
Sonixd
Sonixd is a cross-platform desktop music player for Subsonic-compatible servers including Navidrome, Airsonic, and Funkwhale. It provides queue management, theming, and scrobbling for a desktop listening experience.
- Subsonic-compatible client
- Advanced queue management
- Theming
- Scrobbling support
mStream vs Sonixd: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Sonixd's repository is archived and no longer developed, while mStream is actively maintained. MStream is written in JavaScript, while Sonixd is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for mStream versus AGPL-3.0 for Sonixd. MStream is the more established project (first released 2016), while Sonixd arrived in 2021. MStream lists first-class Docker deployment; Sonixd does not.
Why pick each one
Choose mStream if…
- Easy to install
- Good mobile experience
Watch out for
- Basic web UI
- Slower release cadence
Choose Sonixd if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (1.9k GitHub stars)
- Written in TypeScript
Watch out for
- Desktop client only
- No longer actively developed
Frequently asked questions
Is mStream or Sonixd better?
Neither is universally better. mStream has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are mStream and Sonixd free and open-source?
Yes. mStream is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Sonixd under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run mStream and Sonixd with Docker?
mStream: yes. Sonixd: check the project docs for container support.