# OpenReader vs Forem Selfhost

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

| | OpenReader | Forem Selfhost |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 59/100 ✓ | 51/100 |
| Rank in category | #4 of 15 in Audiobook Management | #2 of 6 in Community |
| GitHub stars | 550 | 1 479 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +34 ✓ | +-1 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 19 ✓ | 0 |
| Latest release | v5.4.0 · 28 Oct 2026 | — |
| Setup | Moderate ✓ | Advanced |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Main language | Typescript | Jinja |

## Which one should you pick?

OpenReader scores 59/100 against 51/100 for Forem Selfhost, so it is the safer default.

OpenReader ships more often: 19 stable releases in the past year, against 0 for Forem Selfhost.

If you want the quickest setup, OpenReader is easier to run; Forem Selfhost needs more configuration.

OpenReader is growing faster right now (+34 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [OpenReader](https://selfhost.directory/project/openreader) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/openreader.md)
- [Forem Selfhost](https://selfhost.directory/project/selfhost) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/selfhost.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/openreader-vs-selfhost