Top pick · highest health
Audiobookshelf
Audiobook and podcast server. It streams all audio formats, keeps and syncs progress across devices. Comes with apps for Android and iOS.
★ 15k 129 commits / 90d ⟳ 7 days ago GPL-3.0 Docker
Category
Open source document management - e-books
Ebook library management software. This page ranks 16 open-source e-books projects by a health score recomputed every night from repository data; nothing else affects the order. Audiobookshelf leads at 97/100 with 129 commits in the last 90 days and 15k stars, followed by Kavita (96) and Calibre Web Automated (95). 14 of the 16 score 70 or above, 10 publish a Docker image, and the median health is 87. GPL-3.0 is the most common licence, carried by 8 of them. Between them they stand in for Goodreads, Kindle, Podbean and Audible. The score weighs commits in the last 90 days, release recency, stars, archive status and Docker support; a low number means low measurable activity, not low quality, so a finished, stable tool can legitimately sit lower down.
updated Oct 2026 16 tools ★ 94k stars 10 with Docker median 87
Best for…
Ranked by health
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Kavita
Cross-platform e-book/manga/comic/pdf server and web reader with user management, ratings and reviews, and metadata support.
★ 12k 95 commits / 90d ⟳ yesterday GPL-3.0 Docker
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Calibre Web Automated
All-in-one solution, combining the modern lightweight web UI from Calibre-Web with the robust, versatile feature set of Calibre (fork of Calibre Web).
★ 6.5k 105 commits / 90d ⟳ 21 days ago GPL-3.0 Docker
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Komga
Media server for comics/mangas/BDs with API and OPDS support, a modern web interface for exploring your libraries, as well as a web reader.
★ 6.8k 414 commits / 90d ⟳ today MIT Docker
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Kapowarr
Build and manage a comic book library. Download, rename, move and convert issues of the volume to your liking.
★ 1.1k 92 commits / 90d ⟳ 3 days ago GPL-3.0 Docker
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Calibre
E-book library manager that can view, convert, and catalog e-books in most of the major e-book formats and provides a built-in Web server for remote clients.
★ 26k 886 commits / 90d ⟳ today GPL-3.0
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BookLogr
Manage your personal book library with ease.
★ 637 26 commits / 90d ⟳ 18 days ago Apache-2.0 Docker
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Calibre Web
Browse, read and download eBooks using an existing Calibre database.
★ 18k 87 commits / 90d ⟳ 20 days ago GPL-3.0
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MyMangaDB
Manga collection manager with automatic metadata, MyAnimeList import and detailed collection statistics.
★ 30 35 commits / 90d ⟳ 3 days ago GPL-3.0 Docker
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Bindery
Folder-watching converter for e-books and comics. EPUB to Kobo KEPUB via kepubify, CBZ/CBR/PDF via Kindle Comic Converter, with per-device profiles, ComicInfo.xml naming, chapter-to-volume bundling and a web UI.
★ 65 28 commits / 90d ⟳ 2 months ago MIT Docker
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Bookwyrm
Social network for tracking your reading, talking about books, writing reviews, and discovering what to read next.
★ 2.8k 346 commits / 90d ⟳ yesterday ⊘ Proprietary
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Stump
A fast, free and open source comics, manga and digital book server with OPDS support.
★ 2.8k 191 commits / 90d ⟳ yesterday MIT
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kiwix-serve
HTTP daemon for serving wikis from ZIM files.
★ 975 25 commits / 90d ⟳ 12 days ago GPL-3.0
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Atsumeru
Manga/comic/light novel media server with clients for Windows, Linux, macOS and Android.
★ 194 0 commits / 90d ⟳ 4 months ago MIT Docker
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Ubooquity
Free to use, versatile, lightweight, multi-platform, and secure home server for your comic and e-book library.
★ 0 0 commits / 90d ⟳ unknown ⊘ Proprietary
| # | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Audiobookshelf Docker | 15k | 129 | GPL-3.0 | 7 days ago | |
| 2 | Kavita Docker | 12k | 95 | GPL-3.0 | yesterday | |
| 3 | Calibre Web Automated Docker | 6.5k | 105 | GPL-3.0 | 21 days ago | |
| 4 | Komga Docker | 6.8k | 414 | MIT | today | |
| 5 | Kapowarr Docker | 1.1k | 92 | GPL-3.0 | 3 days ago | |
| 6 | Calibre | 26k | 886 | GPL-3.0 | today | |
| 7 | BookLogr Docker | 637 | 26 | Apache-2.0 | 18 days ago | |
| 8 | Calibre Web | 18k | 87 | GPL-3.0 | 20 days ago | |
| 9 | MyMangaDB Docker | 30 | 35 | GPL-3.0 | 3 days ago | |
| 10 | Bindery Docker | 65 | 28 | MIT | 2 months ago | |
| 11 | Bookwyrm | 2.8k | 346 | ⊘ Proprietary | yesterday | |
| 12 | Stump | 2.8k | 191 | MIT | yesterday | |
| 13 | kiwix-serve | 975 | 25 | GPL-3.0 | 12 days ago | |
| 14 | Inkheart Docker | 23 | 18 | Apache-2.0 | 7 days ago | |
| 15 | Atsumeru Docker | 194 | 0 | MIT | 4 months ago | |
| 16 | Ubooquity | 0 | 0 | ⊘ Proprietary | unknown |
How the e-book tools compare
Audiobookshelf edges Kavita 97 to 96. Calibre has the largest following at 26k stars, yet ranks #6 of 16, held back mostly by Docker support (no Docker image).
The most recent release is Bookwyrm v0.9.4, published yesterday. None of the measured options scores under 40. By stack, Python (4), Java (3) and .NET (1) are the most common. Komga, BookLogr, Bindery and 3 more are permissively licensed; Audiobookshelf, Kavita, Calibre Web Automated and 5 more are copyleft. Bookwyrm and Ubooquity are source-available rather than open source, which limits commercial reuse. Ubooquity is not hosted on a forge Repoly can read, so it has no measured score yet.
Document Management - E-books: common questions
What is the best open source e-book tool?
By Repoly's GitHub health score, Audiobookshelf at 97/100 (129 commits in 90 days, v2.37.2 from 7 days ago). Kavita is next at 96. The score measures maintenance, not features, so shortlist the top few and try them.
Which e-book tools are the most actively developed?
Calibre (886 commits in 90 days), Komga (414 commits in 90 days) and Bookwyrm (346 commits in 90 days). Commit activity is 35 of the 100 health points, the largest single term.
Which e-book tools can I run in Docker?
10 of 16 publish a Docker image or Compose file, led by Audiobookshelf, Kavita, Calibre Web Automated, Komga, Kapowarr and 5 more.
Which e-book tools have a permissive licence?
6 of 16: Komga (MIT), BookLogr (Apache-2.0), Bindery (MIT), Stump (MIT), Inkheart (Apache-2.0) and 1 more. 8 are copyleft.
Which paid products can open source e-book tools replace?
Goodreads (Kavita ranks highest here), Kindle (Audiobookshelf ranks highest here), Podbean (Audiobookshelf ranks highest here) and Audible (Audiobookshelf ranks highest here).
