Suwayomi-Server vs Tranga
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted e-books & media library options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Suwayomi-Server | Tranga |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 92 · Excellent | 59 · Fair |
| Category | E-books & Media Library | E-books & Media Library |
| License | MPL-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Java | C# |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 7,747 | ★ 389 |
| First released | 2021 | 2023 |
| Replaces | ComiXology | ComiXology |
What are Suwayomi-Server and Tranga?
Suwayomi-Server
Suwayomi-Server, formerly Tachidesk, is a self-hosted manga reader and downloader that uses Tachiyomi-style extensions to fetch content. It provides a web UI and can sync reading progress across devices.
- Manga reading and downloading
- Tachiyomi-style extensions
- Web user interface
- Cross-device progress sync
Tranga
Tranga is an automated manga downloader that monitors series from various connectors and saves them in formats ready for Komga and Kavita. It supports scheduling and notifications for new chapters.
- Automated manga downloading
- Komga and Kavita output
- Scheduled checks
- New-chapter notifications
Suwayomi-Server vs Tranga: key differences
Suwayomi-Server is written in Java, while Tranga is built with C#. Licensing differs — MPL-2.0 for Suwayomi-Server versus GPL-3.0 for Tranga. Suwayomi-Server is the more established project (first released 2021), while Tranga arrived in 2023. Suwayomi-Server has the considerably larger community, at 7,747 GitHub stars versus 389.
Why pick each one
Choose Suwayomi-Server if…
- Large extension ecosystem
- Active community
Watch out for
- Extension legality varies
- Manga-focused only
Choose Tranga if…
- Good companion to manga readers
- Active development
Watch out for
- Connector legality varies
- Manga-focused
Frequently asked questions
Is Suwayomi-Server or Tranga better?
Neither is universally better. Suwayomi-Server has the larger community, while Tranga is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Suwayomi-Server and Tranga free and open-source?
Yes. Suwayomi-Server is licensed under MPL-2.0 and Tranga under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Suwayomi-Server and Tranga with Docker?
Suwayomi-Server: yes. Tranga: yes.