# Audiobookshelf vs paperclip

> Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.

| | Audiobookshelf | paperclip |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 79/100 | 88/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #1 of 15 in Audiobook Management | #4 of 125 in AI |
| GitHub stars | 14 829 | 108 190 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +409 | +26 826 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 14 ✓ | 10 |
| Latest release | v2.37.2 · 23 Oct 2026 ✓ | v2026.1012.0 · 12 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Easy ✓ | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Main language | JavaScript | Typescript |

## Which one should you pick?

paperclip scores 88/100 against 79/100 for Audiobookshelf, so it is the safer default.

Audiobookshelf ships more often: 14 stable releases in the past year, against 10 for paperclip.

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

paperclip is growing faster right now (+26 826 stars in 30 days).

## Details

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

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