# Bookshelf vs Calibre

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

| | Bookshelf | Calibre |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 47/100 | 83/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #9 of 19 in Ebook Management | #1 of 19 in Ebook Management |
| GitHub stars | 373 | 26 269 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | — | +270 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 0 | 18 ✓ |
| Latest release | — | v9.17.0 · 23 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Easy ✓ |
| Official Docker image | No | No |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Main language | Typescript | Python |

## Which one should you pick?

Calibre scores 83/100 against 47/100 for Bookshelf, so it is the safer default.

Calibre ships more often: 18 stable releases in the past year, against 0 for Bookshelf.

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

Calibre is growing faster right now (+270 stars in 30 days).

## Details

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

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