Koel vs Navidrome: Which Music Server to Pick?

Quick Verdict

Navidrome is the better choice for most self-hosters. It’s lighter, has better mobile app support through the Subsonic API ecosystem, and is more actively developed. Koel has a more polished web UI and built-in Spotify integration, but its PHP/Laravel stack is heavier and mobile support relies on the web interface or a separate paid app.

Overview

Navidrome is a Go-based music server implementing the Subsonic/OpenSubsonic API. It’s lightweight (30-50 MB RAM), uses embedded SQLite, and focuses on streaming your local music library through a clean web UI or any Subsonic-compatible mobile app. Active development with monthly releases.

Koel is a PHP/Laravel music streaming server with a Vue.js web UI. It’s been around since 2015 and has a polished, Spotify-like web interface. Koel supports Spotify integration (search and play from Spotify alongside local files), Last.fm scrobbling, and has an optional paid iOS app. It requires MySQL/MariaDB and more resources than Navidrome.

Feature Comparison

Feature	Koel	Navidrome
Language	PHP (Laravel) + Vue.js	Go
License	MIT	GPL-3.0
Web UI	Polished, Spotify-like	Clean, functional
Subsonic API	No	Yes (full OpenSubsonic)
Mobile Apps	Paid iOS app ($5) + PWA	Any Subsonic client (free)
Database	MySQL/MariaDB/PostgreSQL (required)	Embedded SQLite
Spotify Integration	Yes (search + play)	No
Last.fm Scrobbling	Yes	Yes
Smart Playlists	Yes	Yes (v0.60+)
Transcoding	Yes (FFmpeg)	Yes (FFmpeg)
Lyrics	Yes	Yes
ReplayGain	No	Yes
Multi-user	Yes	Yes
Equalizer	Yes (web UI)	No
Visualizer	Yes	No
Podcasts	No	No
RAM (idle)	100-200 MB	30-50 MB
GitHub Stars	16,000+	13,000+
Last Release	Jan 2026 (v8.3.0)	Feb 2026 (v0.60.3)

Installation Complexity

Navidrome is minimal — one container, no external database:

services:
  navidrome:
    image: deluan/navidrome:0.60.3
    ports:
      - "4533:4533"
    volumes:
      - navidrome-data:/data
      - /path/to/music:/music:ro
    restart: unless-stopped

Koel requires a separate database and more configuration:

services:
  koel:
    image: phanan/koel:v8.3.0
    ports:
      - "8050:80"
    depends_on:
      - db
    environment:
      DB_CONNECTION: mysql
      DB_HOST: db
      DB_DATABASE: koel
      DB_USERNAME: koel
      DB_PASSWORD: your-secure-password
      APP_KEY: base64:generated-key-here
    volumes:
      - /path/to/music:/music:ro
      - koel-covers:/var/www/html/public/img/covers
      - koel-search:/var/www/html/storage/search-indexes
    restart: unless-stopped

  db:
    image: mariadb:11
    environment:
      MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: root-password
      MYSQL_DATABASE: koel
      MYSQL_USER: koel
      MYSQL_PASSWORD: your-secure-password
    volumes:
      - koel-db:/var/lib/mysql
    restart: unless-stopped

After starting, Koel requires running initial setup commands (php artisan koel:init) to create the admin user and scan the library. Navidrome’s first-run web UI handles this automatically.

Performance and Resource Usage

Metric	Koel	Navidrome
RAM (idle)	100-200 MB (+ MariaDB ~200 MB)	30-50 MB
Total RAM	300-400 MB	30-50 MB
CPU (library scan)	Moderate	Low
Startup Time	5-10 seconds	1-2 seconds
Containers	2 (app + database)	1
Image Size	~400 MB	~30 MB

Navidrome uses roughly 10x less total RAM. The difference comes from Go vs PHP + MariaDB. For a music server that mostly sits idle waiting for someone to hit play, this matters — especially on shared hosting or low-resource hardware.

Community and Support

Koel has 16,000+ GitHub stars and has been around since 2015. The lead developer (Phan An) maintains it actively with regular releases. Documentation is decent. However, the community is smaller than the star count suggests — GitHub issues get responses but the ecosystem (plugins, integrations) is limited.

Navidrome has 13,000+ GitHub stars and a very active community on GitHub Discussions and Discord. The Subsonic ecosystem gives it an outsized app library — dozens of well-maintained mobile apps work with Navidrome out of the box. Documentation is comprehensive.

Use Cases

Choose Koel If…

• You want the best web UI experience (Koel’s interface is more polished)
• You want Spotify integration (search and play Spotify tracks alongside local files)
• You want a built-in equalizer and audio visualizer
• You’re comfortable with PHP/Laravel stack
• You primarily listen via web browser, not mobile apps

Choose Navidrome If…

• You want the widest mobile app selection (DSub, Symfonium, play:Sub, Amperfy)
• You want minimal resource usage
• You run on limited hardware (Raspberry Pi, small VPS)
• You want embedded database (no MySQL to maintain)
• You want the simplest possible deployment
• Active development pace matters to you

Final Verdict

Navidrome is the better choice for most self-hosters. Its Subsonic API compatibility gives you access to the best mobile music apps in the ecosystem. It’s dramatically lighter on resources, simpler to deploy, and more actively developed. Smart playlists, Last.fm scrobbling, lyrics, and ReplayGain cover the features most people need.

Koel wins on web UI polish and Spotify integration. If you primarily listen through a browser and want a Spotify-like experience with your local library, Koel delivers that better than Navidrome. But for the typical self-hoster who wants a music server that works great on mobile, Navidrome is the answer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Koel work with Subsonic mobile apps?

No. Koel has its own API and doesn’t implement the Subsonic protocol. Your mobile options are Koel’s PWA (web app saved to home screen), the paid Koel iOS app ($5), or third-party apps that use Koel’s API (limited options).

Does Navidrome have a Spotify integration?

No. Navidrome streams only your local music files. If you want to mix local and Spotify content, Koel or Jellyfin are better options. Alternatively, many Subsonic mobile apps (like Symfonium) let you switch between music sources.

Which handles large libraries better?

Both handle large libraries (50,000+ tracks) well. Navidrome’s Go-based scanner is faster than Koel’s PHP scanner. Navidrome’s SQLite is more efficient for read-heavy workloads than Koel’s MySQL. For very large libraries, Navidrome has the edge.

Related

• How to Self-Host Navidrome
• How to Self-Host Koel
• Navidrome vs Jellyfin
• Navidrome vs Funkwhale
• Navidrome vs Airsonic
• Best Self-Hosted Music Streaming
• Replace Spotify