OpenReadervsWhirl
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| OpenReader | Whirl | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 59/100 | 52/100 |
| Rank in category | #4 of 15 in Audiobook Management | #23 of 69 in AI Chat |
| GitHub stars | 550 | 510 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +34 | +0 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 19 | 0 |
| Latest release | v5.4.0 · 28 Oct 2026 | — |
| Setup | Moderate | Advanced |
| Official Docker image | Yes | No |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Main language | Typescript | Typescript |
Which one should you pick?
OpenReader scores 59/100 against 52/100 for Whirl, so it is the safer default.
OpenReader ships more often: 19 stable releases in the past year, against 0 for Whirl.
If you want the quickest setup, OpenReader is easier to run; Whirl needs more configuration.
OpenReader is growing faster right now (+34 stars in 30 days).
OpenReader details →Whirl details →
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