head to head · open source
readest vs Lector
readest has 25,874 GitHub stars, 1,805 forks, 145 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Lector has 1,556 stars, 207 forks, 52 open issues and last shipped 4 months ago. readest leads on adoption by 1,563% (25,874 vs 1,556 stars). readest is written in TypeScript under AGPL-3.0; Lector is written in Python under GPL-3.0. readest has attracted 7% as many forks as stars, Lector 13%. readest was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 4 topic tags (ebook, ebook-reader, epub, mobi), 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.
← all 20902 open source comparisons
Side by side
| readest | Lector | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 26K | ★ 1.6K |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Written in | TypeScript | Python |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-07-10 |
| Forks | ⑂ 1.8K | ⑂ 207 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick readest if
- You weight community size — 26K stars and counting
- You want the AGPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick Lector if
- You want the Lector feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the GPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You evaluated both and Lector fits your workflow better
About readest
Readest [Readest][link website] is an open source ebook reader designed for immersive and deep reading experiences. Built as a modern rewrite of Foliate, it leverages Next.js 16 and Tauri v2 to deliver a smooth, cross platform experience across macOS, Windows, Linux, Android, iOS, and the Web. [![Website][badge website]][link website] [![Web App][badge web app]][link web readest] [![OS][badge platforms]][link website] [![Discord][badge discord]][link discord] [![Reddit][badge reddit]][link reddit] [![AGPL Licence][badge license]](LICENSE) [![Language Coverage][badge language coverage]][link locales]…
read the full readest overview →
About Lector
Qt based ebook reader Currently supports: pdf epub djvu fb2 mobi azw / azw3 / azw4 cbr / cbz md Contribute Paypal Bitcoin: 17jaxj26vFJNqQ2hEVerbBV5fpTusfqFro Requirements Needed Optional Support When reporting issues: Make sure you're at the latest commit. Run with $EXECUTABLEPATH debug . Include the log /.local/share/Lector/Lector.log AND terminal output. If you're having trouble with a book while the rest of the application / other books work, please link to a copy of the book itself. If nothing is working, please make sure the requirements mentioned above are all installed, and are at least at the version…
read the full Lector overview →
More in Content & Publishing
Related comparisons
More Publishing projects
Compare either of these against the rest of the Publishing field.
Frequently asked questions
Is readest or Lector more popular?
readest has 25,874 GitHub stars and Lector has 1,556. readest has the larger community by that measure.
Are readest and Lector free?
Both are open source. readest is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Lector under GPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between readest and Lector?
readest is written in TypeScript and Lector in Python. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, readest or Lector?
Choose readest if you want the larger community (25,874 stars) or its AGPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose Lector if its feature set, stack or GPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.