# bookwyrm vs Nowen Reader

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

| | bookwyrm | Nowen Reader |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 58/100 ✓ | 51/100 |
| Rank in category | #26 of 69 in Social Networks & Forums | #4 of 19 in Ebook Management |
| GitHub stars | 2 806 ✓ | 180 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +21 | — |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 11 ✓ | 10 |
| Latest release | v0.9.3 · 9 Sept 2026 | v1.2.3 · 25 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Advanced | Easy ✓ |
| Official Docker image | No | Yes ✓ |
| License | Other | GPL-3.0 |
| Main language | Python | Typescript |

## Which one should you pick?

bookwyrm scores 58/100 against 51/100 for Nowen Reader, so it is the safer default.

bookwyrm ships more often: 11 stable releases in the past year, against 10 for Nowen Reader.

If you want the quickest setup, Nowen Reader is easier to run; bookwyrm needs more configuration.

bookwyrm is growing faster right now (+21 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [bookwyrm](https://selfhost.directory/project/bookwyrm) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/bookwyrm.md)
- [Nowen Reader](https://selfhost.directory/project/nowen-reader) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/nowen-reader.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/bookwyrm-vs-nowen-reader