# Audiobookshelf vs youtube-dl

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

| | Audiobookshelf | youtube-dl |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 79/100 ✓ | 51/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 15 in Audiobook Management | #6 of 12 in Video |
| GitHub stars | 14 837 ✓ | 402 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +417 | — |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 14 ✓ | 0 |
| Latest release | v2.37.2 · 23 Oct 2026 | — |
| Setup | Easy | Easy ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Main language | JavaScript | Python |

## Which one should you pick?

Audiobookshelf scores 79/100 against 51/100 for youtube-dl, so it is the safer default.

Audiobookshelf ships more often: 14 stable releases in the past year, against 0 for youtube-dl.

Audiobookshelf is growing faster right now (+417 stars in 30 days).

## Details

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

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/audiobookshelf-vs-youtube-dl