# Audiobookshelf vs OpenReader

> Two self-hosted [Audiobook Management projects](https://selfhost.directory/audiobook-management), compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.

| | Audiobookshelf | OpenReader |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 79/100 ✓ | 59/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 15 in Audiobook Management | #4 of 15 in Audiobook Management |
| GitHub stars | 14 828 ✓ | 549 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +408 ✓ | +34 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 14 | 18 ✓ |
| Latest release | v2.37.2 · 23 Oct 2026 ✓ | v5.3.0 · 20 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Easy ✓ | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Main language | JavaScript | Typescript |

## Which one should you pick?

Audiobookshelf scores 79/100 against 59/100 for OpenReader, so it is the safer default.

OpenReader ships more often: 18 stable releases in the past year, against 14 for Audiobookshelf.

If you want the quickest setup, Audiobookshelf is easier to run; OpenReader needs more configuration.

Audiobookshelf is growing faster right now (+408 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [Audiobookshelf](https://selfhost.directory/project/audiobookshelf) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/audiobookshelf.md)
- [OpenReader](https://selfhost.directory/project/openreader) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/openreader.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/audiobookshelf-vs-openreader