SHSelfHostIndex

Open Library vs Sigil

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

Not the right match-up?
OP Open Library Open, editable catalog and library platform for books VS SI Sigil Multi-platform EPUB ebook editor
FeatureOpen LibrarySigil
CategoryE-books & Media LibraryE-books & Media Library
LicenseAGPL-3.0GPL-3.0
LanguagePythonC++
Setup difficultyHardEasy
Min. RAM4,096 MB256 MB
Deploymentdockerbare-metal, binary
GitHub stars★ 6,597★ 6,913
First released20072009
ReplacesGoodreadsAdobe InDesign EPUB export

Why pick each one

Choose Open Library if…

  • Huge catalog data
  • Battle-tested platform
Open Library details

Choose Sigil if…

  • Released under the GPL-3.0 license
  • Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
  • Mature project with 6.9k GitHub stars
  • Written in C++
Sigil details

Frequently asked questions

Is Open Library or Sigil better?

Sigil is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Open Library if its specific feature set fits your needs better.

Are Open Library and Sigil free and open-source?

Yes. Open Library is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Sigil under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Open Library and Sigil with Docker?

Open Library: yes. Sigil: check the project docs for container support.

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