Mylar3 vs Suwayomi-Server
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted e-books & media library options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Mylar3 | Suwayomi-Server |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 60 · Good | 92 · Excellent |
| Category | E-books & Media Library | E-books & Media Library |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MPL-2.0 |
| Language | Python | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,461 | ★ 7,747 |
| First released | 2018 | 2021 |
| Replaces | ComiXology | ComiXology |
What are Mylar3 and Suwayomi-Server?
Mylar3
Mylar3 is an automated comic book downloader and manager for tracking series and grabbing new issues. It maintains a metadata-rich library that pairs well with comic readers like Komga and Kavita.
- Automated comic downloading
- Series tracking
- ComicVine metadata
- Library organization
Suwayomi-Server
Suwayomi-Server, formerly Tachidesk, is a self-hosted manga reader and downloader that uses Tachiyomi-style extensions to fetch content. It provides a web UI and can sync reading progress across devices.
- Manga reading and downloading
- Tachiyomi-style extensions
- Web user interface
- Cross-device progress sync
Mylar3 vs Suwayomi-Server: key differences
Mylar3 is written in Python, while Suwayomi-Server is built with Java. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Mylar3 versus MPL-2.0 for Suwayomi-Server. Mylar3 is the more established project (first released 2018), while Suwayomi-Server arrived in 2021. Suwayomi-Server has the considerably larger community, at 7,747 GitHub stars versus 1,461.
Why pick each one
Choose Mylar3 if…
- Strong comic automation
- Good metadata handling
Watch out for
- Configuration is involved
- Depends on external sources
Choose Suwayomi-Server if…
- Large extension ecosystem
- Active community
Watch out for
- Extension legality varies
- Manga-focused only
Frequently asked questions
Is Mylar3 or Suwayomi-Server better?
Neither is universally better. Suwayomi-Server has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Mylar3 and Suwayomi-Server free and open-source?
Yes. Mylar3 is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Suwayomi-Server under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Mylar3 and Suwayomi-Server with Docker?
Mylar3: yes. Suwayomi-Server: yes.