Readest vs Ubooquity
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
Ubooquity
Free to use, versatile, lightweight, multi-platform, and secure home
| Feature | Readest | Ubooquity |
|---|---|---|
| Category | E-books & Media Library | E-books & Media Library |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | ⊘ Proprietary |
| Language | TypeScript | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 23,192 | — |
| First released | 2024 | 2020 |
| 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 Ubooquity if…
- Released under the ⊘ Proprietary license
- Written in Java
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Readest or Ubooquity better?
Neither is universally better. Readest has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Readest and Ubooquity free and open-source?
Yes. Readest is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Ubooquity under ⊘ Proprietary. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Readest and Ubooquity with Docker?
Readest: yes. Ubooquity: check the project docs for container support.