Readarr vs LazyLibrarian: Which Book Manager?

Quick Verdict

Readarr is the better choice if you’re already running the *arr stack (Sonarr, Radarr, Prowlarr). It uses the same UI and workflow you already know. LazyLibrarian is more feature-rich for book-specific tasks — magazine support, audiobook conversion, Goodreads integration — but has a dated interface and steeper learning curve.

Overview

Both tools automate ebook discovery and downloading. You add authors or books, and the software monitors indexers for new releases, grabs them, and organizes your library.

Readarr is the *arr-family book manager built by the Servarr team. It follows the same patterns as Sonarr (TV) and Radarr (movies) — quality profiles, indexer integration via Prowlarr, and automatic importing. It focuses on ebooks and audiobooks.

LazyLibrarian is an older, Python-based book manager that predates Readarr. It pulls metadata from Goodreads and LibraryThing, monitors downloads, and can handle ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines. It has more book-specific features but a less polished interface.

Feature Comparison

Feature	Readarr	LazyLibrarian
Ebook management	Yes	Yes
Audiobook management	Yes	Yes
Magazine support	No	Yes
Metadata sources	Google Books, OpenLibrary	Goodreads, LibraryThing, Google Books
Author monitoring	Yes	Yes
Series tracking	Yes	Yes
Quality profiles	Yes (*arr-style)	Basic (preferred formats)
Prowlarr integration	Native	No (manual indexer config)
Calibre integration	Import to Calibre library	Send to Calibre, conversion via mod
Download client support	All major (SABnzbd, NZBGet, qBittorrent, etc.)	All major
Notifications	Yes (Telegram, Discord, email, etc.)	Yes (Email, Pushbullet, Pushover, etc.)
UI	Modern *arr interface	Functional but dated
API	Full REST API	REST API
Database	SQLite	SQLite
Docker image	linuxserver/readarr	linuxserver/lazylibrarian

Installation Complexity

Both are single-container deployments.

Readarr:

services:
  readarr:
    image: lscr.io/linuxserver/readarr:0.4.10
    container_name: readarr
    environment:
      - PUID=1000
      - PGID=1000
      - TZ=America/New_York
    volumes:
      - readarr-config:/config
      - /path/to/books:/books
      - /path/to/downloads:/downloads
    ports:
      - "8787:8787"
    restart: unless-stopped

volumes:
  readarr-config:

LazyLibrarian:

services:
  lazylibrarian:
    image: lscr.io/linuxserver/lazylibrarian:version-dada182d
    container_name: lazylibrarian
    environment:
      - PUID=1000
      - PGID=1000
      - TZ=America/New_York
      - DOCKER_MODS=linuxserver/mods:lazylibrarian-calibre|linuxserver/mods:lazylibrarian-ffmpeg
    volumes:
      - lazylibrarian-config:/config
      - /path/to/books:/books
      - /path/to/downloads:/downloads
    ports:
      - "5299:5299"
    restart: unless-stopped

volumes:
  lazylibrarian-config:

Readarr is faster to configure if you already run Prowlarr — indexers sync automatically. LazyLibrarian requires manual indexer setup but offers optional Docker mods for Calibre integration and audiobook conversion (FFmpeg).

Note: LazyLibrarian uses rolling version tags (version-dada182d format) rather than semantic versioning. Pin to a specific commit hash tag for reproducibility.

Performance and Resource Usage

Metric	Readarr	LazyLibrarian
RAM (idle)	~100-150 MB	~80-120 MB
RAM (searching)	~200 MB	~150 MB
CPU	Low	Low
Disk (config)	~50-100 MB	~50-100 MB

Both are lightweight. Neither will be a bottleneck on any hardware that can run Docker.

Community and Support

Metric	Readarr	LazyLibrarian
GitHub stars	3K+	2K+
Release cadence	Regular	Frequent (rolling)
Documentation	Good (*arr wiki)	Good (GitHub wiki)
Community	*arr Discord	GitHub issues, forums
Active development	Yes	Yes (community-driven)

Readarr benefits from the broader *arr ecosystem — shared knowledge, similar workflows across all *arr apps, and a large Discord community. LazyLibrarian has a dedicated but smaller community.

Use Cases

Choose Readarr If…

• You already run Sonarr, Radarr, and Prowlarr
• You want a consistent UI across all your media managers
• You prefer the *arr-style quality profiles and automation
• Ebooks and audiobooks are your only book media types
• You want native Prowlarr indexer sync

Choose LazyLibrarian If…

• You manage magazines alongside ebooks
• Goodreads integration is important to your workflow
• You want built-in Calibre conversion support
• You don’t run the *arr stack and want a standalone book manager
• Audiobook format conversion (via FFmpeg mod) is needed

Final Verdict

*For arr stack users, pick Readarr. The consistent interface, native Prowlarr integration, and quality profile system make it the natural choice when you’re already invested in the *arr ecosystem. Adding a book manager that works exactly like your TV and movie managers is the lowest-friction option.

For standalone book management, consider LazyLibrarian. Its Goodreads integration, magazine support, and Calibre conversion mods give it an edge for dedicated book collectors who don’t need or want the *arr stack.

If you run both ebooks and magazines, LazyLibrarian is the only option that handles both. If you only care about ebooks and audiobooks, Readarr’s polish and ecosystem integration make it the stronger choice.

FAQ

Can I run both Readarr and LazyLibrarian?

Yes, but there’s no real benefit. They’d compete for the same downloads and create duplicate library entries. Pick one based on your needs.

Does Readarr support Calibre library integration?

Readarr can import books into a Calibre library via Calibre Content Server. It’s not as deep as LazyLibrarian’s integration with the Calibre Docker mod, but it works for basic import workflows.

Is LazyLibrarian still actively maintained?

Yes. Development continues on GitLab with frequent commits. The LinuxServer.io image is updated regularly. It’s a community-driven project without formal release cycles — updates are rolling.

Related

• How to Self-Host Readarr
• How to Self-Host LazyLibrarian
• Kavita vs Calibre-Web
• Komga vs Kavita
• Best Self-Hosted Ebooks & Reading
• *arr Stack Setup Guide
• Best Self-Hosted Media Organization