Readest vs Suwayomi
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
Suwayomi
An open-source manga reader server with bundled Web UI
| Feature | Readest | Suwayomi |
|---|---|---|
| Category | E-books & Media Library | E-books & Media Library |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | free |
| Language | TypeScript | Shell |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, one-click |
| GitHub stars | ★ 23,192 | ★ 545 |
| First released | 2024 | 2023 |
| 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 Suwayomi if…
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- One-click install on common self-host platforms
- Written in Shell
Frequently asked questions
Is Readest or Suwayomi better?
Neither is universally better. Readest has the larger community, while Suwayomi is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Readest and Suwayomi free and open-source?
Yes. Readest is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Suwayomi under free. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Readest and Suwayomi with Docker?
Readest: yes. Suwayomi: yes.