koel
Personal music streaming server that works.
koel vs Navidrome Music Server
Two self-hosted Media Streaming - Audio Streaming apps, compared on the facts we track: GitHub popularity and activity, license, language, Docker images and a rough hosting estimate.
Side by side
| koel | Navidrome Music Server | |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Personal music streaming server that works. | Modern Music Server and Streamer, compatible with Subsonic/Airsonic. |
| GitHub stars | 17,334 | 24,530 |
| Forks | – | – |
| Open issues | – | – |
| Commits (12 months) | 857 | 770 |
| Last activity | 2026-11-03 | 2026-11-03 |
| Latest release | v9.15.0 (2026-09-28) | v0.64.2 (2026-09-24) |
| Maintenance health | Active | Active |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Language / platform | PHP | Docker, Go |
| Docker Hub image | – | – |
| Docker pulls | – | – |
| Est. server size | ~1 GB, 1 vCPU | ~1 GB, 1 vCPU |
| Est. hosting from | $5/mo | $5/mo |
| Categories | Media Streaming - Audio Streaming | Media Streaming - Audio Streaming |
| Links | Website · Source | Website · Source |
What the numbers say
- Navidrome Music Server is more popular on GitHub: 24.5k stars vs 17.3k for koel.
- koel published a release more recently (v9.15.0 on 2026-09-28; Navidrome Music Server's latest is v0.64.2 on 2026-09-24).
- koel is licensed under MIT, Navidrome Music Server under GPL-3.0. koel's license is permissive; Navidrome Music Server's is copyleft (changes you distribute must stay open).
- koel is written in PHP; Navidrome Music Server in Go.
- Deployment options listed upstream: koel: none listed; Navidrome Music Server: Docker.
Summary: Navidrome Music Server leads on GitHub popularity. 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 koel or Navidrome Music Server more popular?
Navidrome Music Server has more GitHub stars (24,530 vs 17,334 for koel, as of 2026-11-05). Stars measure interest, not quality.
Which is more actively maintained, koel or Navidrome Music Server?
Commits in the last 12 months: koel 857, Navidrome Music Server 770. Both had repository activity on 2026-11-03. Our health labels: koel is “Active”, Navidrome Music Server is “Active”.
What licenses do koel and Navidrome Music Server use?
koel: MIT. Navidrome Music Server: GPL-3.0. koel's license is permissive; Navidrome Music Server's is copyleft (changes you distribute must stay open).
Can I run koel and Navidrome Music Server with Docker?
We did not detect a Docker Hub image for either app. The upstream listing mentions Docker as a deployment option for Navidrome Music Server. Check each project's documentation for install options.
Read more
Navidrome Music Server
Modern Music Server and Streamer, compatible with Subsonic/Airsonic.
Browse all self-hosted Media Streaming - Audio Streaming apps.