# Bookshelf vs Calibre Web

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

| | Bookshelf | Calibre Web |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 47/100 | 78/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #9 of 19 in Ebook Management | #1 of 7 in E-book Management |
| GitHub stars | 373 | 18 485 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | — | +254 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 0 | 2 ✓ |
| Latest release | — | 0.6.27 · 8 Aug 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Easy ✓ |
| Official Docker image | No | No |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Main language | Typescript | Fluent |

## Which one should you pick?

Calibre Web scores 78/100 against 47/100 for Bookshelf, so it is the safer default.

Calibre Web ships more often: 2 stable releases in the past year, against 0 for Bookshelf.

If you want the quickest setup, Calibre Web is easier to run; Bookshelf needs more configuration.

Calibre Web is growing faster right now (+254 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [Bookshelf](https://selfhost.directory/project/bookshelf-2) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/bookshelf-2.md)
- [Calibre Web](https://selfhost.directory/project/calibre-web) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/calibre-web.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/bookshelf-2-vs-calibre-web