Best Self-Hosted Ebook Servers in 2026
Quick Picks
| Use Case | Best Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Kavita | Handles ebooks, manga, and comics well with fast scanning |
| Best for Calibre users | Calibre-Web | Native Calibre database integration, send-to-Kindle |
| Best for manga/comics | Komga | Excellent metadata scraping and comic reader |
| Best for audiobooks | Audiobookshelf | Purpose-built with chapters, bookmarks, sleep timers |
| Best for Kindle users | Calibre-Web | Send-to-email works directly with Kindle |
| Lightest resource usage | Calibre-Web | Under 100 MB RAM idle |
The Full Ranking
1. Kavita — Best Overall
Kavita is the best all-around self-hosted ebook server. It handles EPUB, PDF, CBR/CBZ, manga, and light novels in a single unified interface. Library scanning is fast (significantly faster than competitors), the web reader handles both text and image-based content well, and it supports OPDS-PS for third-party mobile apps.
Pros:
- Fast library scanning and search
- Great manga/comic reading experience with continuous scroll
- Solid EPUB reading with customizable themes
- Series and collection tracking with automatic metadata
- Multi-user with age restrictions
- Active development (monthly releases)
- Tachiyomi/Mihon integration for manga readers
Cons:
- No send-to-email/Kindle functionality
- No Calibre database integration (scan-based only)
- EPUB reader less polished than Calibre-Web’s
Best for: Users with mixed libraries (ebooks + manga + comics) who want one server.
[Read our full guide: How to Self-Host Kavita]
2. Calibre-Web — Best for Ebook Libraries
Calibre-Web provides the best ebook browsing and reading experience, especially for EPUB lovers. Its integration with Calibre desktop means if you already manage books in Calibre, you get a beautiful web interface on top of your existing library. Send-to-email works with Kindle, Kobo, and any email-connected reader.
Pros:
- Best EPUB web reader with beautiful typography
- Send-to-email for Kindle and other readers
- OPDS feeds for mobile reading apps (KOReader, Librera)
- Mature, stable (13,000+ GitHub stars)
- Lightest resource footprint (~80 MB idle)
- LinuxServer.io Docker image well-maintained
Cons:
- Requires a Calibre database (extra dependency)
- Library management happens in Calibre desktop, not the web UI
- Comic/manga reading is basic
- No automatic metadata scraping (relies on Calibre)
Best for: Users who manage their ebook library in Calibre desktop and want a web interface for reading and sharing.
[Read our full guide: How to Self-Host Calibre-Web]
3. Komga — Best for Comics and Manga
Komga is purpose-built for comics, manga, and graphic novels. Its metadata management is best-in-class — scraping from ComicVine and other sources, with support for ComicInfo.xml embedded metadata. The web reader is optimized for image-based content with smooth page turns and zoom.
Pros:
- Best metadata management for comics/manga
- ComicVine metadata scraping
- Excellent web reader for image-based content
- Per-page reading progress tracking
- Strong Tachiyomi/Mihon integration
- Multi-user with per-library access
- MIT license
Cons:
- EPUB support exists but is secondary
- No send-to-email
- Smaller community than Calibre-Web or Kavita
- Moderate resource usage during scanning
Best for: Users whose library is primarily comics, manga, or graphic novels.
[Read our full guide: How to Self-Host Komga]
4. Audiobookshelf — Best for Audiobooks
Audiobookshelf isn’t an ebook reader per se, but it handles both audiobooks and EPUBs. If your library includes audiobooks alongside ebooks, Audiobookshelf provides a unified server. Its audiobook features are unmatched — chapter navigation, bookmarks, sleep timers, Audible metadata.
Pros:
- Best audiobook experience in the self-hosted space
- EPUB reader included (web-based)
- Chapter navigation, bookmarks, sleep timers for audiobooks
- Audible metadata scraping
- Podcast support
- Dedicated mobile apps (iOS and Android)
- Single container, no database needed
Cons:
- EPUB reading is secondary to audiobook features
- No comic/manga support
- No metadata scraping for ebooks (only audiobooks)
- No OPDS support for ebooks
Best for: Users who primarily listen to audiobooks but also want to read some ebooks.
[Read our full guide: How to Self-Host Audiobookshelf]
Full Comparison Table
| Feature | Kavita | Calibre-Web | Komga | Audiobookshelf |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EPUB reading | Good | Excellent | Basic | Good |
| PDF reading | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Comic/manga | Excellent | Basic | Excellent | No |
| Audiobooks | No | No | No | Excellent |
| Send-to-email | No | Yes | No | No |
| OPDS | OPDS-PS | OPDS | OPDS | No (for ebooks) |
| Calibre required | No | Yes | No | No |
| Metadata scraping | Online sources | Via Calibre | ComicVine + others | Audible (audiobooks) |
| Multi-user | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Age restrictions | Yes | No | No | No |
| Tachiyomi support | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Docker containers | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Idle RAM | ~150 MB | ~80 MB | ~150 MB | ~150 MB |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| GitHub stars | 8,500+ | 13,000+ | 4,500+ | 7,500+ |
How We Evaluated
We evaluated each server on:
- Reading experience — How good is the built-in web reader for its target format?
- Library management — How well does it organize, scan, and maintain metadata?
- Multi-device support — OPDS feeds, mobile apps, sync across devices
- Resource efficiency — RAM, CPU, and disk usage for a 10,000+ item library
- Development activity — Release frequency, community engagement, project health
- Setup simplicity — How quick and easy is the Docker deployment?
Running Multiple Servers
These servers are all lightweight enough to run simultaneously. A popular combination:
- Calibre-Web for ebooks (EPUB, MOBI) with send-to-Kindle
- Komga for comics and manga with metadata scraping
- Audiobookshelf for audiobooks and podcasts
Together, they use under 500 MB of RAM and cover every type of reading content.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need Calibre desktop to use any of these?
Only Calibre-Web requires a Calibre database. Kavita, Komga, and Audiobookshelf scan file directories directly with no external dependencies.
Which works best with a Kobo e-reader?
Calibre-Web, because you can download EPUBs directly or use OPDS to sync with Kobo’s built-in reader. Kavita and Komga also provide OPDS feeds that work with Kobo’s browser-based OPDS support.
Can any of these replace Kindle Unlimited?
Not directly — these serve your own library, not subscription content. For unlimited free ebooks, check your local library’s Libby/OverDrive app. Self-hosted servers complement that by managing books you own.
Which handles the largest libraries best?
Kavita is fastest at scanning large libraries. Calibre-Web handles large libraries well since it reads a pre-built database. Komga can slow down during initial scanning of very large comic libraries (50,000+ files).
Is there a way to get a unified interface for all content types?
Kavita comes closest — it handles ebooks, manga, and comics in one UI. For audiobooks, you’ll need a separate server (Audiobookshelf). No single tool covers all four content types equally well.
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