head to head · open source
koreader vs HRConvert2
koreader has 30,818 GitHub stars, 2,019 forks, 1,345 open issues and last shipped yesterday. HRConvert2 has 1,384 stars, 81 forks, 2 open issues and last shipped yesterday. koreader leads on adoption by 2,127% (30,818 vs 1,384 stars). koreader is written in Lua under AGPL-3.0; HRConvert2 is written in PHP under GPL-3.0. koreader has attracted 7% as many forks as stars, HRConvert2 6%. koreader was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 1 topic tag (ebook), so they are genuine substitutes rather than adjacent tools.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| koreader | HRConvert2 | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 31K | ★ 1.4K |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Written in | Lua | PHP |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-11-02 |
| Forks | ⑂ 2.0K | ⑂ 81 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick koreader if
- You weight community size — 31K stars and counting
- You want the AGPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Lua
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick HRConvert2 if
- You want the HRConvert2 feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the GPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches PHP
- You evaluated both and HRConvert2 fits your workflow better
About koreader
KOReader is a document viewer primarily aimed at e ink readers. [![AGPL Licence][badge license]](COPYING) [![Latest release][badge release]][link gh releases] [![Gitter][badge gitter]][link gitter] [![Mobileread][badge mobileread]][link forum] [![Build Status][badge circleci]][link circleci] [![Coverage Status][badge coverage]][link coverage] [![Weblate Status][badge weblate]][link weblate] Download • User guide • Wiki • Developer docs Main features portable : runs on embedded devices (Cervantes, Kindle, Kobo, PocketBook, reMarkable), Android and Linux computers. Developers can run a KOReader emulator in Linux…
read the full koreader overview →
About HRConvert2
🔁 HRConvert2 Self Hosted, Resource Aware, Public Facing File Conversion Server No database. No cookies. No tracking. Nothing leaves your server. Get Started · Documentation · Docker Image 🔒 Why HRConvert2? Every free online file converter is actually a data collection business in disguise. Upload a contract, medical scan, or proprietary CAD file? You just handed it to a stranger with an ad network. HRConvert2 is different. Same convenience. Zero compromise. Conversions happen on your machine using local tools Users need no account and leave no trace Runs on a Raspberry Pi Workflow: Drag, drop, convert…
read the full HRConvert2 overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is koreader or HRConvert2 more popular?
koreader has 30,818 GitHub stars and HRConvert2 has 1,384. koreader has the larger community by that measure.
Are koreader and HRConvert2 free?
Both are open source. koreader is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and HRConvert2 under GPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between koreader and HRConvert2?
koreader is written in Lua and HRConvert2 in PHP. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, koreader or HRConvert2?
Choose koreader if you want the larger community (30,818 stars) or its AGPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose HRConvert2 if its feature set, stack or GPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.