AudiobookshelfvsGuardian
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| Audiobookshelf | Guardian | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 79/100 | 41/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 15 in Audiobook Management | #95 of 118 in Media Server |
| GitHub stars | 14 830 | 174 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +410 | — |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 14 | 13 |
| Latest release | v2.37.2 · 23 Oct 2026 | v2.1.0 · 26 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Easy | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Other |
| Main language | JavaScript | Typescript |
Which one should you pick?
Audiobookshelf scores 79/100 against 41/100 for Guardian, so it is the safer default.
Audiobookshelf ships more often: 14 stable releases in the past year, against 13 for Guardian.
If you want the quickest setup, Audiobookshelf is easier to run; Guardian needs more configuration.
Audiobookshelf is growing faster right now (+410 stars in 30 days).
Audiobookshelf details →Guardian details →
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