Readest vs Readflow
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?
Readest
Cross-platform ebook reader with sync server
VS
Readflow
Track your Kobo reads on Anilist.co and Hardcover.app using
| Feature | Readest | Readflow |
|---|---|---|
| Category | E-books & Media Library | E-books & Media Library |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MPL-2.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 50 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 23,192 | ★ 23 |
| First released | 2024 | 2025 |
| Replaces | Kindle, Apple Books | — |
Why pick each one
Choose Readest if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 23.2k GitHub stars
- Written in TypeScript
Choose Readflow if…
- Released under the MPL-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in Go
- Tiny footprint — runs in 50 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Readest or Readflow better?
Neither is universally better. Readest has the larger community, while Readflow is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Readest and Readflow free and open-source?
Yes. Readest is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Readflow under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Readest and Readflow with Docker?
Readest: yes. Readflow: check the project docs for container support.