Navidrome vs VideoLAN Client (VLC)
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?
Compare Navidrome with
choose an app… Free Programming Books Immich Jellyfin Paperless-ngx PhotoPrism qBittorrent SRS KOReader Ente Photos Koodo Reader Calibre DeepFace Readest Kodi Ebook2audiobook gallery-dl Calibre-Web Koel Jackett Beets DeDRM Tools PeerTube Transmission Sonarr MeTube Radarr Audiobookshelf Color Thief darktable Stash Stremio Web Seerr Owncast Kavita Thumbor Streama Feishin Ladder Wikidpad Notes Mopidy Tube Archivist LibrePhotos Snapcast Prowlarr Tautulli Photoview imaginary Google Photos Takeout Helper Jellyfin Media Player Lidarr Pinchflat Streamyfin MediaCMS Overseerr Emby musikcube Ant Media Server Community Edition Jellyfin for Android TV Black Candy Sonus Note - Black Candy Qui Tdarr Findroid Bazarr Finamp Ombi Dim Swiftfin Plex AzuraCast Strawberry Music Player Ampache Dispatcharr Headphones Moodist Ryot Tvheadend Yamtrack OvenMediaEngine Wizarr SABnzbd Music Assistant ytdl-sub ErsatzTV Flood TubeSync mpd Polaris Funkwhale Universal Media Server NymphCast yt-dlp Web UI OwnTone Profilarr Tunarr Gonic Kyoo Fladder Unmanic Jellystat mStream Reiverr Jellyfin MPV Shim Broadcast Box Supersonic xTeVe Tempo Maintainerr Recyclarr Airsonic Swing Music Podgrab Sonixd Musicn Maloja Lyrion Music Server Quod Libet Jellyfin Vue Threadfin Amperfy LMS CyTube Cross-Seed ViewTube WatchYourLAN Note - CineMatic Watcharr Fireshare Airsonic-Advanced moOde audio player Gerbera nefarious Mopidy-Iris Meelo multi-scrobbler MyTube Whisparr Castopod PinePods LibreTime Rapidbay Karaoke Eternal Audioserve CodeX.docs Movary Cinemataztic Note Webtrees-no Kitsu Self-Hosted Reaparr Stretto Icecast Lidify ympd myMPD Lidarr on Steroids LinkStack MistServer Ultrasonic PodFetch Airsonic-Refix Downtify SyncTube vod2pod-rss LidaTube Deleterr ChannelTube Stremio Server YoutubeDL-Server gpodder.net (mygpo) Olaris Supysonic AntennaPod gpodder Sync Server Nextcloud GPodder ydl_api_ng Jellyfin for Roku RompR MiniDLNA Rygel Submariner cmyflix Cantata Stream Master OctoStream Note - mediarr OliveTin-no ClipBucket Snapweb BotWave Audinaut Sublime Music NextPVR Volumio MKVPriority Podverse TrackWatch tinyMediaManager Vibin Note - Beatbump alt Murmur-no Channels DVR Server Deemix Deluge Just. Download. Sickchill Stalwart Mail Subsonic Tube üWave
Compare VideoLAN Client (VLC) with
choose an app… Jellyfin qBittorrent SRS Kodi Koel Jackett Beets PeerTube Transmission
Feature Navidrome VideoLAN Client (VLC) Category Media Servers Media Servers License GPL-3.0 GPL-2.0 Language Go C Setup difficulty Easy Medium Min. RAM 128 MB 512 MB Deployment docker, binary bare-metal GitHub stars ★ 22,746 — First released 2019 2020 Replaces Spotify —
Why pick each one
Choose Navidrome if… Very lightweight Works with many mobile apps Easy to set up Navidrome details
Frequently asked questions Is Navidrome or VideoLAN Client (VLC) better? Navidrome is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider VideoLAN Client (VLC) if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Navidrome and VideoLAN Client (VLC) free and open-source? Yes. Navidrome is licensed under GPL-3.0 and VideoLAN Client (VLC) under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Navidrome and VideoLAN Client (VLC) with Docker? Navidrome: yes. VideoLAN Client (VLC): check the project docs for container support.