# botwave vs koel

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

| | botwave | koel |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 47/100 | 75/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #12 of 14 in Audio Streaming | #1 of 59 in Music Streaming |
| GitHub stars | 144 | 17 321 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | — | +59 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 22 | 22 |
| Latest release | v1.2.13-ostodes · 11 Oct 2026 ✓ | v9.15.0 · 28 Sept 2026 |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate ✓ |
| Official Docker image | No | No |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Main language | Python | PHP |

## Which one should you pick?

koel scores 75/100 against 47/100 for botwave, so it is the safer default.

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

koel is growing faster right now (+59 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [botwave](https://selfhost.directory/project/botwave) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/botwave.md)
- [koel](https://selfhost.directory/project/koel) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/koel.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/botwave-vs-koel