Calibre Web
Browse, read and download eBooks using an existing Calibre database.
Calibre Web vs Kavita
Two self-hosted Document Management - E-books apps, compared on the facts we track: GitHub popularity and activity, license, language, Docker images and a rough hosting estimate.
Side by side
| Calibre Web | Kavita | |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Browse, read and download eBooks using an existing Calibre database. | Cross-platform e-book/manga/comic/pdf server and web reader with user management, ratings and reviews, and metadata support. |
| GitHub stars | 18,532 | 12,052 |
| Forks | – | – |
| Open issues | – | – |
| Commits (12 months) | 260 | 383 |
| Last activity | 2026-09-20 | 2026-11-01 |
| Latest release | 0.6.27 (2026-08-08) | v0.9.1.4 (2026-09-02) |
| Maintenance health | Active | Active |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language / platform | Python | .NET, Docker |
| Docker Hub image | – | – |
| Docker pulls | – | – |
| Est. server size | ~1 GB, 1 vCPU | ~1 GB, 1 vCPU |
| Est. hosting from | $5/mo | $5/mo |
| Categories | Document Management - E-books | Document Management - E-books |
| Links | Website · Source | Website · Source |
What the numbers say
- Calibre Web is more popular on GitHub: 18.5k stars vs 12.1k for Kavita.
- Kavita had more commits in the last 12 months (383 vs 260).
- Kavita has more recent repository activity (2026-11-01 vs 2026-09-20).
- Kavita published a release more recently (v0.9.1.4 on 2026-09-02; Calibre Web's latest is 0.6.27 on 2026-08-08).
- Both are licensed under GPL-3.0.
- Calibre Web is written in Python; Kavita in .NET.
- Deployment options listed upstream: Calibre Web: none listed; Kavita: Docker.
Summary: Calibre Web leads on GitHub popularity; Kavita leads on commit activity and recent activity. The right choice depends on the features you need — read both project descriptions and docs.
This summary is generated from GitHub, Docker Hub and awesome-selfhosted data as of 2026-11-05. It does not rate features or quality.
Frequently asked questions
Is Calibre Web or Kavita more popular?
Calibre Web has more GitHub stars (18,532 vs 12,052 for Kavita, as of 2026-11-05). Stars measure interest, not quality.
Which is more actively maintained, Calibre Web or Kavita?
Kavita had more commits over the last 12 months (383 vs 260). The last recorded activity was 2026-09-20 for Calibre Web and 2026-11-01 for Kavita. Our health labels: Calibre Web is “Active”, Kavita is “Active”.
What licenses do Calibre Web and Kavita use?
Both use GPL-3.0.
Can I run Calibre Web and Kavita with Docker?
We did not detect a Docker Hub image for either app. The upstream listing mentions Docker as a deployment option for Kavita. Check each project's documentation for install options.
Read more
Kavita
Cross-platform e-book/manga/comic/pdf server and web reader with user management, ratings and reviews, and metadata support.
Browse all self-hosted Document Management - E-books apps.