Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Koel VS Funkwhale

Compare Koel VS Funkwhale and see what are their differences

Koel logo Koel

A personal music streaming server that works.

Funkwhale logo Funkwhale

Funkwhale is a modern, self-hosted, free and open-source music server
  • Koel Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-13
  • Funkwhale Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-07-24

Koel features and specs

  • Self-hosted
    Koel is a self-hosted music streaming application, giving users complete control over where their music is stored and how it is accessed, without relying on third-party services.
  • Open Source
    As an open-source project, Koel allows users to audit the code for security, make contributions, and customize the software to fit their needs.
  • Web-based Interface
    Koel offers a web-based interface that is accessible from any device with a web browser, making it easy to stream music from various devices.
  • Integration
    Koel can integrate with other services and tools thanks to its RESTful API, which expands its functionality and allows for custom implementations.
  • No Ads
    Since Koel is self-hosted, it is free from advertisements, providing an uninterrupted listening experience for users.

Possible disadvantages of Koel

  • Technical Setup
    Installing and configuring Koel requires some technical expertise, as it involves setting up a server environment, which can be complex for non-technical users.
  • Maintenance
    Being a self-hosted solution, Koel requires regular maintenance and updates by the user to ensure security and functionality.
  • Hosting Costs
    Users need their hosting service to run Koel, which can incur additional costs depending on the server specifications and bandwidth usage.
  • Limited Social Features
    Unlike commercial streaming services, Koel lacks integrated social features such as music sharing and collaborative playlists.
  • Mobile App Support
    Koel's mobile experience might not be as polished as mainstream music apps, potentially requiring additional third-party apps for a better experience.

Funkwhale features and specs

  • Federation
    Funkwhale supports the ActivityPub protocol, allowing users to connect with other instances and share music across a decentralized network.
  • Open Source
    Funkwhale is fully open-source, which means anyone can audit the code, contribute to its development, and fork it for their own needs.
  • Privacy
    Being a self-hosted solution, Funkwhale offers greater privacy and control over your data compared to commercial streaming services.
  • Community-Driven
    As an open-source project, Funkwhale benefits from community feedback and contributions, which can lead to a more user-focused development.
  • Customizable
    Users can customize their instances to fit specific needs, from appearance to functionality, making it a very flexible choice.
  • No Advertisements
    Funkwhale does not include any advertisements, offering an uninterrupted listening experience.

Possible disadvantages of Funkwhale

  • Technical Complexity
    Setting up and maintaining a Funkwhale instance requires a certain level of technical expertise, which might be challenging for non-technical users.
  • Server Costs
    Self-hosting a Funkwhale instance involves costs associated with server hosting and maintenance.
  • Limited Music Database
    Unlike major streaming services, the music available on Funkwhale is only as extensive as the tracks uploaded by its users and participating instances.
  • Dependency on Federation
    While federation is a strong feature, its effectiveness depends on the number and quality of other instances connected to the network.
  • Lack of Third-Party Integrations
    Compared to mainstream services, Funkwhale may lack integration with popular third-party applications and devices.
  • Support and Documentation
    While the community is active, the level of professional support and extensive documentation might not match that of commercial services.

Analysis of Funkwhale

Overall verdict

  • Yes, many users find Funkwhale to be a good platform.

Why this product is good

  • Funkwhale is an open-source, decentralized, and customizable music streaming platform. It allows users to host their own server or join existing ones, promoting community and user autonomy. It supports integration with a variety of clients and applications, providing a flexible experience. The platform respects user privacy and avoids advertisements, which many users appreciate.

Recommended for

  • Users who prioritize privacy and open-source solutions.
  • Music enthusiasts looking for a decentralized streaming platform.
  • Communities or individuals interested in hosting their own music server.
  • People seeking an ad-free music streaming experience.

Koel videos

Brainwavz Koel review - 3D printed earphones that sound great! - By TotallydubbedHD

More videos:

  • Review - Koel Cafe - Review by #SimplyYum
  • Review - UNBOXING AND REVIEW KOEL OIL SPRAYER

Funkwhale videos

Les Tutos: Docker No. 9: Funkwhale - Music streaming server

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Koel and Funkwhale)
Audio & Music
53 53%
47% 47
Music Streaming
30 30%
70% 70
Music
100 100%
0% 0
Music Player
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Koel and Funkwhale

Koel Reviews

35 Open-source Free Music and Audio Streaming Servers (Self-hosted)
Koel (also stylized as koel, with a lowercase k) is a simple web-based personal audio streaming service written in Vue on the client side and Laravel on the server side. Targeting web developers, Koel embraces some of the more modern web technologies to do its job.
Source: medevel.com

Funkwhale Reviews

Best Spotify Alternatives In The World [Top 10] 2024
Funkwhale is a leading choice among open-source enthusiasts seeking alternatives to mainstream music smooth platforms like Spotify. Funkwhale allows users to maintain complete control over their personal music libraries, free from concerns about content disappearance.
35 Open-source Free Music and Audio Streaming Servers (Self-hosted)
Funkwhale is a music server and player designed for small to medium communities. It also serves as a social platform for music and podcast enthusiasts to discover new content.
Source: medevel.com
List of Top Free Open Source & Self Hosted Application for Media Streaming
Funkwhale โ€“ Modern, web-based, convivial, multi-user and free music server. BSD-3-Clause Python/Django

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Funkwhale seems to be a lot more popular than Koel. While we know about 38 links to Funkwhale, we've tracked only 1 mention of Koel. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Koel mentions (1)

Funkwhale mentions (38)

  • Ask HN: Feedback on this proposed funding model for supporting musicians?
    For context: I recently set up a Funkwhale[0] instance [1] for Communick subscribers, where people can upload their music collection, stream on mobile/web and share with their friends. That's useful already and can be thought of as a replacement to the original Google Play Music, but I guess that those with large music collections will either just play from their dedicated devices or self-host a service like... - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Favourite music streaming service?
    I use my own service, but have heard great things about https://funkwhale.audio/. Source: over 2 years ago
  • What 'selfhosting' solution is for me?
    I run Funkwhale. I can listen to my songs online from the browser, or on my phone using the Subsonic protocol (I use an app called dsub on Android). Source: over 2 years ago
  • I don't want streaming music, I just want to stream my music
    For multi-room-audio, I use Iris+Mopidy+Snapcast [2] alternative frontend to my Funkwhale library. [1]: https://funkwhale.audio/ [2]: https://github.com/jaedb/Iris. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • Looking for a simple audio hosting solution with comments
    I hear funkwhale can also do comments. Worth checking it out too. Source: over 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Koel and Funkwhale, you can also consider the following products

Navidrome - Music Server and Streamer compatible with Subsonic/Airsonic.

Spotify - Map shows when two people play same song at same time

SoundCloud - Enjoy music & follow favourite artists

Ampache - Web ( HTTP centralized ) based audio/video streaming application

Deezer - Deezer is a music streaming app created in France. It is available in 180 counties and gets 16 million users a month. 6 million of the users have paid subscriptions. Read more about Deezer.

Swing Music - Beautiful and fast music streaming server.