How to Self-Host Readarr with Docker Compose

What Is Readarr?

Readarr is an ebook and audiobook collection manager in the *arr stack family. Like Sonarr for TV and Radarr for movies, Readarr monitors authors, tracks new releases, and automatically downloads books through Usenet or torrent clients. It uses GoodReads and OpenLibrary for metadata. Official site

Prerequisites

A Linux server (Ubuntu 22.04+ recommended)
Docker and Docker Compose installed (guide)
1 GB of free disk space (plus storage for books)
512 MB of RAM minimum
A download client: SABnzbd (Usenet) or qBittorrent (torrents)
An indexer manager: Prowlarr (recommended)

Docker Compose Configuration

Create a docker-compose.yml file:

services:
  readarr:
    image: lscr.io/linuxserver/readarr:0.4.12-develop
    container_name: readarr
    environment:
      - PUID=1000
      - PGID=1000
      - TZ=America/New_York
    volumes:
      - ./config:/config
      - /path/to/books:/books          # Your book library
      - /path/to/downloads:/downloads  # Download client output
    ports:
      - "8787:8787"
    restart: unless-stopped

Note: Readarr is still in the develop branch — there’s no stable release yet. The develop branch is functional and widely used, but expect occasional breaking changes on update.

Environment variables:

Variable	Purpose	Required
`PUID`	User ID for file permissions	Yes
`PGID`	Group ID for file permissions	Yes
`TZ`	Timezone	Yes

Volume mounts:

Container Path	Purpose
`/config`	Readarr configuration and database
`/books`	Your book library root
`/downloads`	Shared download directory

Start the stack:

docker compose up -d

Initial Setup

Open http://your-server-ip:8787
Set up authentication: Settings → General → Security
Add root folders: Settings → Media Management → Root Folders
- Add /books for ebooks
- Optionally add a separate path for audiobooks
Connect your download client: Settings → Download Clients
Add indexers via Prowlarr or manually

Configuration

Media Management

Settings → Media Management
Set book naming: {Author Name}/{Book Title} ({Release Year})/{Book Title}
Enable Rename Books for consistent naming
Enable Replace Illegal Characters for filesystem compatibility

Quality Profiles

Readarr supports both ebooks and audiobooks:

Ebooks:

EPUB (preferred — most compatible with readers)
MOBI (Kindle-specific, increasingly deprecated)
PDF (least flexible but sometimes the only option)
AZW3 (Kindle format)

Audiobooks:

M4B (Apple audiobook format — single file per book)
MP3 (universal but typically split into chapters)

Set quality preferences under Settings → Profiles.

Metadata Profiles

Control what Readarr monitors:

Standard: All editions of monitored books
Create custom profiles to filter by language or format

Advanced Configuration (Optional)

Calibre Integration

Readarr can send books directly to a Calibre library:

Install Calibre Content Server or Calibre-Web
In Readarr: Settings → Download Clients → Add → Calibre
Enter Calibre’s host, port, and library path
Readarr imports books into Calibre instead of moving files directly

Separate Ebook and Audiobook Libraries

Use two root folders to keep formats separate:

volumes:
  - /path/to/ebooks:/books/ebooks
  - /path/to/audiobooks:/books/audiobooks
  - /path/to/downloads:/downloads

Add both as root folders in Readarr. When adding an author, choose which root folder to use.

Reverse Proxy

Example Nginx Proxy Manager configuration:

Scheme: http
Forward Hostname: readarr
Forward Port: 8787

Reverse Proxy Setup

Backup

docker compose stop readarr
tar -czf readarr-backup-$(date +%Y%m%d).tar.gz ./config
docker compose start readarr

Readarr has built-in backups under System → Backup. Backup Strategy

Troubleshooting

GoodReads Metadata Issues

Symptom: Author or book not found, wrong editions matched. Fix: Readarr uses GoodReads for metadata. Search by GoodReads ID for exact matches. Some books have multiple editions — check the correct one is selected under the book’s details. GoodReads rate limiting can also cause temporary search failures.

Downloads Not Importing

Symptom: Books download but don’t appear in the library. Fix: Check path mapping — the download path must be accessible to both the download client and Readarr at the same path. Look at Activity → Queue for specific import errors. Common issue: ebook files inside nested directories that Readarr can’t find.

Duplicate Authors

Symptom: Same author appears multiple times. Fix: This happens when GoodReads has multiple entries for the same author. Merge them manually: select the duplicate, note the GoodReads ID, delete it, and add the books to the correct author entry.

High Disk Usage from Database

Symptom: Readarr’s config directory grows very large. Fix: The SQLite database can grow with extensive search history. Under System → Tasks, run Clean Up Recycling Bin and Housekeeping. If the database exceeds 1 GB, consider backing up and rebuilding.

Resource Requirements

RAM: ~150 MB idle, 300 MB with large libraries
CPU: Low
Disk: ~50 MB for application data, plus your book library

Verdict

Readarr completes the *arr stack for book lovers. If you already use Sonarr and Radarr, adding Readarr is the logical next step for automating ebook and audiobook downloads. The develop-only status means you should expect occasional rough edges, but it’s stable enough for daily use. The Calibre integration is a standout feature for anyone with an existing Calibre library.

FAQ

Is Readarr stable enough for daily use?

Yes. Despite being on the develop branch, Readarr has been in active use for years. Updates occasionally introduce bugs, but the LSIO image pins to tested versions. Back up your config before updates.

Can Readarr send books to my Kindle?

Not directly. Use Calibre or Calibre-Web as an intermediary — Calibre can convert formats and email books to your Kindle’s Send-to-Kindle address.

Readarr vs LazyLibrarian?

Readarr. LazyLibrarian is older and has a less polished UI. Readarr’s *arr stack integration, modern interface, and active development make it the better choice.