head to head · open source
readest vs LibreTranslate
readest has 25,874 GitHub stars, 1,805 forks, 145 open issues and last shipped yesterday. LibreTranslate has 17,256 stars, 1,792 forks, 126 open issues and last shipped 8 days ago. readest leads on adoption by 50% (25,874 vs 17,256 stars). readest is written in TypeScript under AGPL-3.0; LibreTranslate is written in Python under AGPL-3.0. readest has attracted 7% as many forks as stars, LibreTranslate 10%. readest was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee.
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
| readest | LibreTranslate | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 26K | ★ 17K |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Written in | TypeScript | Python |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-10-26 |
| Forks | ⑂ 1.8K | ⑂ 1.8K |
| 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 LibreTranslate if
- You want the LibreTranslate feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the AGPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You evaluated both and LibreTranslate 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 LibreTranslate
LibreTranslate Try it online! API Docs Community Forum Bluesky Free and Open Source Machine Translation API, entirely self hosted. Unlike other APIs, it doesn't rely on proprietary software such as Google or Azure to perform translations. Instead, its translation engine is powered by the open source Argos Translate library. Getting Started Quickstart Usage Instructions Community Resources Credits This work is largely possible thanks to Argos Translate, which powers the translation engine. License GNU Affero General Public License v3 Trademark See Trademark Guidelines
read the full LibreTranslate overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is readest or LibreTranslate more popular?
readest has 25,874 GitHub stars and LibreTranslate has 17,256. readest has the larger community by that measure.
Are readest and LibreTranslate free?
Both are open source. readest is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and LibreTranslate under AGPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between readest and LibreTranslate?
readest is written in TypeScript and LibreTranslate 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 LibreTranslate?
Choose readest if you want the larger community (25,874 stars) or its AGPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose LibreTranslate if its feature set, stack or AGPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.