Nowen ReadervsOpenReader
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| Nowen Reader | OpenReader | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 51/100 | 59/100 |
| Rank in category | #4 of 19 in Ebook Management | #4 of 15 in Audiobook Management |
| GitHub stars | 180 | 550 |
| Stars, last 30 days | — | +35 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 10 | 18 |
| Latest release | v1.2.3 · 25 Oct 2026 | v5.3.0 · 20 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Easy | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Main language | Typescript | Typescript |
Which one should you pick?
OpenReader scores 59/100 against 51/100 for Nowen Reader, so it is the safer default.
OpenReader ships more often: 18 stable releases in the past year, against 10 for Nowen Reader.
If you want the quickest setup, Nowen Reader is easier to run; OpenReader needs more configuration.
OpenReader is growing faster right now (+35 stars in 30 days).
Nowen Reader details →OpenReader details →
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