Shoko Server vs Yamtrack
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted media servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Shoko Server
Self-hosted anime collection manager with automatic identification
VS
Yamtrack
Media tracker for movies, TV shows, anime, manga, games, books
| Feature | Shoko Server | Yamtrack |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 78 · Good | 88 · Excellent |
| Category | Media Servers | Media Servers |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0-or-later |
| Language | C# | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 200 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 760 | ★ 3,627 |
| First released | 2016 | None |
| Replaces | MyAnimeList | Goodreads, IMDB, MyAnimeList |
What are Shoko Server and Yamtrack?
Shoko Server
Shoko Server is an open-source anime collection management system written in C#. It automatically identifies and organizes anime files using file hashes and AniDB metadata, integrates with Plex and Jellyfin, and tracks watch progress.
- Automatic anime identification
- Hash-based file matching
- Plex and Jellyfin plugins
- Watch tracking
Yamtrack
Media tracker for movies, TV shows, anime, manga, games, books and more.
Shoko Server vs Yamtrack: key differences
Shoko Server is written in C#, while Yamtrack is built with Python. Licensing differs — MIT for Shoko Server versus AGPL-3.0-or-later for Yamtrack. Yamtrack is the lighter option, starting around 200 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Shoko Server. Yamtrack has the considerably larger community, at 3,627 GitHub stars versus 760. Shoko Server lists first-class Docker deployment; Yamtrack does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Shoko Server if…
- Excellent anime metadata
- Strong automation
Watch out for
- Anime-only focus
- Initial setup is involved
Choose Yamtrack if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0-or-later license
- Active community (3.6k GitHub stars)
- Written in Python
- Tiny footprint — runs in 200 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Shoko Server or Yamtrack better?
Neither is universally better. Yamtrack has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Shoko Server and Yamtrack free and open-source?
Yes. Shoko Server is licensed under MIT and Yamtrack under AGPL-3.0-or-later. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Shoko Server and Yamtrack with Docker?
Shoko Server: yes. Yamtrack: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Shoko Server or Yamtrack?
Yamtrack has the smaller minimum footprint at 200 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Shoko Server. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.