SHSelfHostIndex

Navidrome vs Tempo

A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted media servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.

Not the right match-up?
Navidrome Modern music streaming server for your collection VS TE Tempo Material You Subsonic music client for Android
FeatureNavidromeTempo
Deploy effort≈5-minute setupRead-the-docs project
Health score97 · Excellent20 · At risk
CategoryMedia ServersMedia Servers
LicenseGPL-3.0GPL-3.0
LanguageGoJava
Setup difficultyEasyEasy
Min. RAM128 MB128 MB
Deploymentdocker, binarybinary, source
GitHub stars★ 23,761★ 2,240
First released20192022
ReplacesSpotifySpotify, Plexamp

What are Navidrome and Tempo?

Navidrome

Navidrome is a lightweight music server and streamer that is compatible with Subsonic API clients. It suits music collectors who want to stream their own library anywhere. It is deployed via Docker or a single binary.

  • Subsonic API compatibility
  • Fast modern web player
  • Multi-user with playlists
  • Low resource usage

Read the full Navidrome guide →

Tempo

Tempo is a free and open-source music streaming client for Subsonic-compatible servers such as Navidrome and Airsonic. It features a Material You interface, offline downloads, and Android Auto support.

  • Subsonic API support
  • Material You theming
  • Android Auto
  • Offline downloads

Read the full Tempo guide →

Navidrome vs Tempo: key differences

Navidrome is written in Go, while Tempo is built with Java. Navidrome is the more established project (first released 2019), while Tempo arrived in 2022. Navidrome has the considerably larger community, at 23,761 GitHub stars versus 2,240. Navidrome lists first-class Docker deployment; Tempo does not.

Why pick each one

Choose Navidrome if…

  • Very lightweight
  • Works with many mobile apps
  • Easy to set up

Watch out for

  • Music only
  • No video support
Navidrome details

Choose Tempo if…

  • Modern Android design
  • Works with multiple servers

Watch out for

  • Android only
  • No video support
Tempo details

Frequently asked questions

Is Navidrome or Tempo better?

Neither is universally better. Navidrome has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.

Are Navidrome and Tempo free and open-source?

Yes. Navidrome is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Tempo under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Navidrome and Tempo with Docker?

Navidrome: yes. Tempo: check the project docs for container support.

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