Funkwhale vs Jellyfin
Self-host pick — both replace Spotify (Music streaming).
Both Funkwhale and Jellyfin self-host as a replacement for Spotify (Music streaming). Pick Jellyfin if you want the lighter footprint — 10min docker run, $5-10 vps or home server; designed to run on a nas. Pick Funkwhale if you need communities that want a federated music-sharing space — labels, podcast collectives, friend groups — 30min docker-compose (Django app + Postgres + Redis + Celery) and $10 vps for the app stack; storage separately.
| Funkwhaleopen-source | Jellyfinopen-source | |
|---|---|---|
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Setup time | 30min docker-compose (Django app + Postgres + Redis + Celery) | 10min docker run |
| Monthly cost | $10 VPS for the app stack; storage separately. | $5-10 VPS or home server; designed to run on a NAS. |
| GitHub | funkwhale/funkwhale | jellyfin/jellyfin |
| Replaces | Spotify | Spotify + 1 other |
Good fit for
Funkwhale
Communities that want a federated music-sharing space — labels, podcast collectives, friend groups.
Weak at:Heavy stack for a single user; mobile clients are thinner than Subsonic-ecosystem tools.
Jellyfin
Households that already self-host video on Jellyfin and don't want a second daemon for music.
Weak at:Music UX in the native Jellyfin web app is less polished than Navidrome; Subsonic clients are the practical mobile path.
In a terminal? npx -y github:SolvoHQ/os-alt-cli spotify prints Spotify's self-host options including both —
how the CLI works →
FAQ
Which is easier to self-host, Funkwhale or Jellyfin?
Funkwhale: 30min docker-compose (Django app + Postgres + Redis + Celery). Jellyfin: 10min docker run.
What does each cost to run?
Funkwhale: $10 VPS for the app stack; storage separately.. Jellyfin: $5-10 VPS or home server; designed to run on a NAS.. Both projects are free and open source.
Do Funkwhale and Jellyfin replace the same SaaS?
Yes — both are open-source alternatives to Spotify.