# OpenReader vs swarm-cronjob

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

| | OpenReader | swarm-cronjob |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 59/100 ✓ | 51/100 |
| Rank in category | #4 of 15 in Audiobook Management | #20 of 26 in Automation |
| GitHub stars | 550 | 888 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +35 | — |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 19 ✓ | 3 |
| Latest release | v5.4.0 · 28 Oct 2026 ✓ | v1.16.1 · 24 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Easy ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Main language | Typescript | Go |

## Which one should you pick?

OpenReader scores 59/100 against 51/100 for swarm-cronjob, so it is the safer default.

OpenReader ships more often: 19 stable releases in the past year, against 3 for swarm-cronjob.

If you want the quickest setup, swarm-cronjob is easier to run; OpenReader needs more configuration.

OpenReader is growing faster right now (+35 stars in 30 days).

## Details

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

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