Kavita
Lightning-fast, privacy-friendly self-hosted digital library for EPUB, PDF, comics, and manga with built-in readers and rich metadata.
Overview
Kavita is a powerful, free, and open-source self-hosted digital library server designed to help users organize, manage, and read their digital content. It supports a diverse range of formats including EPUBs, PDFs, comics (CBZ, CBR), and manga, making it a versatile solution for various types of readers. The platform emphasizes privacy and user control, allowing individuals to host their entire library on their own server.
Key features include robust user management with granular permissions, built-in readers optimized for each content type (with modes like webtoon, single, and double page), and extensive metadata support for easy organization and search. Kavita also offers annotation capabilities, customizable UI, and active development with community input, ensuring continuous improvement and new features. An optional Kavita+ subscription unlocks premium features like AniList sync and advanced recommendations, further enhancing the reading experience while supporting the project's growth.
Best For
Key Features
Pricing
Kavita (Core)
- User Management
- Built-in Readers
- Annotation Support
- Customizable
- Metadata-Focused
- Active Development
- Reading Lists
- Send to Device (Send to Kindle)
- Folder Watching
- OPDS Support
- Rating Restrictions
- Ratings
- Reviews
- Full-Text Search & Indexing
Kavita+
- Progress Sync (AniList)
- External Ratings & Reviews (AniList, MyAnimeList, ComicBookRoundup)
- Personalized Recommendations
- Automatic Metadata
- Smart Collections (MAL Interest Stacks)
- Want to Read Sync (MAL/AniList)
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Completely free and open-source for the core functionality
- Self-hosted, providing full control over data and privacy
- Supports a wide range of digital media formats including comics and manga
- Robust user management with granular permissions and age restrictions
- Dedicated, optimized built-in readers for different content types
- Active development and strong community engagement for feature requests
- Rich metadata capabilities for excellent library organization
- Annotation features enhance the reading experience and knowledge retention
Cons
- Requires technical knowledge to set up and maintain a self-hosted server
- Premium features like AniList sync and advanced metadata require a paid Kavita+ subscription
- Reliance on community support for troubleshooting, though active
- Initial setup might be time-consuming for users unfamiliar with server deployment
- No official mobile app, relies on web interface or OPDS-compatible readers
Reviews & Ratings
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