SHSelfHostIndex

qBittorrent vs ydl_api_ng

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?
QB qBittorrent Bittorrent client that aims to be a good alternative to all other VS YD ydl_api_ng Simple youtube-dl REST API to launch downloads on a distant server
FeatureqBittorrentydl_api_ng
CategoryMedia ServersMedia Servers
LicenseGPL-3.0-or-laterGPL-3.0
LanguageC++Python
Setup difficultyEasyMedium
Min. RAM50 MB512 MB
Deploymentbare-metalbare-metal
GitHub stars★ 39,327★ 240
First released20232020
ReplacesµTorrent—

Why pick each one

Choose qBittorrent if…

  • Released under the GPL-3.0-or-later license
  • Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
  • Mature project with 39.3k GitHub stars
  • Written in C++
qBittorrent details

Choose ydl_api_ng if…

  • Released under the GPL-3.0 license
  • Written in Python
  • Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
ydl_api_ng details

Frequently asked questions

Is qBittorrent or ydl_api_ng better?

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

Are qBittorrent and ydl_api_ng free and open-source?

Yes. qBittorrent is licensed under GPL-3.0-or-later and ydl_api_ng under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run qBittorrent and ydl_api_ng with Docker?

qBittorrent: check the project docs for container support. ydl_api_ng: check the project docs for container support.

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