{"products":{"foobar2000":{"meta_title":"WaveFlow vs foobar2000: an honest comparison","meta_description":"WaveFlow 2.0.1 and foobar2000 2.26.2 side by side: price, platforms, sound, lyrics, library and extensions, with every source dated, and where WaveFlow still loses.","headline":"A deep toolbox of components, next to a player that works out of the box.","short_answer":"foobar2000 is the deeper tool: a huge catalogue of components, CD ripping, conversion and a layout you can rebuild to the pixel, and it also runs on phones. WaveFlow is the easier one to start with: open source, native on Linux, translated into 17 languages, with word-by-word lyrics and bit-perfect output ready without any add-on. If you love tuning your player, foobar2000 will give you more. If you want a polished library that just plays, WaveFlow gets you there faster.","price":"Free (freeware)","description":"foobar2000 is a free, long-running music player for Windows and macOS, with mobile versions for Android and iOS. It starts plain on purpose and lets you rearrange it, then grows through a large catalogue of components written by its author and by the community.","matters":{"cost":{"waveflow":"Free and open source under the GPL: anyone can read the code and build it.","other":"Freeware, closed source; only a component SDK is published."},"platforms":{"waveflow":"Windows, macOS and Linux, in 17 languages. No phone app yet: WaveFlow Mobile is in development.","other":"Windows and macOS, plus official Android and iOS apps. Linux only through Wine, and English only."},"audio":{"waveflow":"Exclusive output on all three systems and DSD as DoP, built in, with nothing to add.","other":"WASAPI exclusive, official ASIO and Kernel Streaming components, a DSP chain and very wide format coverage."},"lyrics":{"waveflow":"Synced lyrics built in, word by word, with romanization and translations.","other":"No lyrics out of the box; the community OpenLyrics component adds line-synced lyrics on Windows."},"library":{"waveflow":"Smart playlists, duplicates, loudness and tempo analysis, and a tag editor that keeps what it does not touch.","other":"Advanced tagging with Masstagger, autoplaylists from queries, ReplayGain scanning, CD ripping and a converter."},"extending":{"waveflow":"Sandboxed WebAssembly plugins with permissions, from a store that checks every download. A young catalogue.","other":"An open component SDK and well over a hundred components: decoders, DSPs, panels, whole new interfaces."},"maturity":{"waveflow":"1.0 shipped in May 2026: young, and moving fast.","other":"A long history: its official change logs run from the 0.9 series through 1.x to 2.26, with frequent updates."},"family":{"waveflow":"Its own server for your whole library, a DLNA and an MPD server, and QuickPlay for single files.","other":"Mobile apps of its own, a built-in UPnP renderer and playback to network speakers."},"languages":{"waveflow":"17 languages, right-to-left included.","other":"English only; its FAQ points to Boom for other languages."},"scrobbling":{"waveflow":"Scrobbles to Last.fm out of the box.","other":"Needs a community component, foo_scrobble, on Windows only."},"listening_mixes":{"waveflow":"Daily Mix and On Repeat, generated from what you actually play.","other":"Autoplaylists are queries you write, by play count for instance; nothing is generated for you."},"listening_stats":{"waveflow":"A statistics page with listening time, a yearly heatmap and your top tracks, artists and albums, plus WaveFlow Wrapped, all computed on your computer.","other":"Playback Statistics records play counts for columns and queries; there is no statistics page."},"duplicates":{"waveflow":"Finds identical files stored in different folders and lets you keep one copy.","other":"No duplicate finder; \"remove duplicates\" only drops playlist entries that point to the same file."},"artwork_fetch":{"waveflow":"Fetches missing artwork from Deezer and artist bios from Last.fm, built in.","other":"Reads the artwork you already have; downloading it takes a community component such as foo_discogs, on Windows."},"offline_switch":{"waveflow":"Offline mode, a single switch, turns off the online features at once; DLNA, MPD and Discord presence keep working.","other":"Says it collects no data, but checks for updates and sends crash reports; no official page documents a switch that turns everything off."},"plugin_sandbox":{"waveflow":"Plugins run sandboxed in WebAssembly and only get the permissions they declare.","other":"Components are native libraries loaded into the player without a sandbox; a faulty one can crash it."}},"choose_waveflow":["you use Linux, or move between Linux, Windows and a Mac","you want synced, word-by-word lyrics and a polished library without installing anything else","you prefer software whose code you can read, in your own language"],"choose_other":["you want to shape every panel of your player and add exactly the components you need","you rip CDs, convert files or rely on Masstagger and ABX tests","you also want the same player on your phone today"],"loses":["Components: foobar2000 has well over a hundred, from decoders to full interfaces; WaveFlow's plugin store is a few months old.","Ripping and conversion: foobar2000 rips audio CDs and converts between formats; WaveFlow does neither.","Phones: foobar2000 has Android and iOS apps now; WaveFlow Mobile is still in development.","Track record: foobar2000's change logs go back to the 0.9 series; WaveFlow reached 1.0 in May 2026.","Layout: foobar2000 lets you rebuild its whole window; WaveFlow offers skins and themes, not a free layout."],"notes":{"open_source":"Proprietary; a component SDK is public.","macos":"macOS 11 or later; many community components are Windows only.","linux":"The Windows version runs under Wine, as the site says.","languages":"English only, as the FAQ says.","exclusive_output":"WASAPI built in, ASIO as an official component; exclusive output on macOS too.","dsd":"From WavPack files; output to a DAC is not described.","synced_lyrics":"Through the OpenLyrics component, Windows only.","cd_ripping":"Windows only.","dlna":"A renderer built in; a media server needs an old community component.","skins":"A rearrangeable layout rather than skins.","artwork_fetch":"foo_discogs, a community component, Windows only."},"faq":[{"q":"Is WaveFlow a replacement for foobar2000?","a":"For listening to a local library, yes: it plays the same formats you are likely to have, gapless and bit-perfect, with lyrics built in. For ripping CDs, converting files or a hand-built layout, foobar2000 still does more."},{"q":"Can I keep using both?","a":"Yes. WaveFlow reads your folders where they are and changes a file only when you edit its tags or rate it, so both players can point at the same music."},{"q":"Does WaveFlow run on Linux natively?","a":"Yes. WaveFlow ships Linux packages, while foobar2000 runs on Linux only through Wine."},{"q":"Which one sounds better?","a":"Neither changes the sound when both send the samples untouched: WaveFlow's exclusive output and foobar2000's WASAPI exclusive or ASIO are both bit-perfect. The difference is in the tools around playback, not in the sound itself."}]},"musicbee":{"meta_title":"WaveFlow vs MusicBee: an honest comparison","meta_description":"WaveFlow 2.0.1 and MusicBee 3.7 side by side: platforms, sound, lyrics, tagging and add-ons, every source dated, and where WaveFlow still loses.","headline":"The Windows veteran, next to the player that also runs on a Mac and on Linux.","short_answer":"MusicBee is a remarkably complete Windows player: auto-tagging, file organisation, CD ripping, conversion, device sync, podcasts and a big add-on site, refined over many years. WaveFlow runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, is open source, and has word-by-word lyrics, a DLNA server and its own music server built in. On Windows alone, MusicBee does more around the music; anywhere else, or if openness matters to you, WaveFlow is the one.","price":"Free (optional donation)","description":"MusicBee is a free music player and library manager for Windows, written by one developer, Steven Mayall. It suits large collections and people who want close control over tags, file organisation, sound and the look of the player.","matters":{"cost":{"waveflow":"Free and open source under the GPL.","other":"Free, with an optional donation; closed source, only the plugin API is published."},"platforms":{"waveflow":"Windows, macOS and Linux, in 17 languages.","other":"Windows only (7 to 11), with a portable edition and a Microsoft Store edition."},"audio":{"waveflow":"Exclusive output on three systems, DoP for DSD, a 6-band equalizer.","other":"WASAPI exclusive and ASIO, DSD over ASIO, a 10- or 15-band equalizer with DSP effects and upmixing."},"lyrics":{"waveflow":"Word-by-word lyrics built in, with romanization and translations.","other":"Synced lyrics built in, line by line; word timing only through a community plugin in beta."},"library":{"waveflow":"Smart playlists, duplicates, loudness and tempo analysis, ratings written to your files.","other":"Auto-tagging from MusicBrainz, automatic file organisation, CD ripping, conversion and device sync."},"extending":{"waveflow":"Sandboxed plugins with permissions, from a checked store. Few so far.","other":"A documented plugin API and an add-on site with skins, plugins, visualizers and theater modes."},"maturity":{"waveflow":"1.0 shipped in May 2026.","other":"Releases recorded since 2016, with copyright on the site from 2008."},"family":{"waveflow":"A DLNA and an MPD server built in, its own music server, and QuickPlay.","other":"Sync to Android devices built in; DLNA and Subsonic through community plugins."},"languages":{"waveflow":"17 languages, right-to-left included.","other":"About twenty languages, translated by volunteers."},"scrobbling":{"waveflow":"Scrobbles to Last.fm out of the box.","other":"Scrobbles to Last.fm out of the box too."},"listening_mixes":{"waveflow":"Daily Mix and On Repeat, generated from what you actually play.","other":"Auto-DJ grows a queue from one song with Last.fm's similar artists, and auto-playlists follow your rules; no mixes come from your history."},"listening_stats":{"waveflow":"A statistics page with listening time, a yearly heatmap and your top tracks, artists and albums, plus WaveFlow Wrapped, all computed on your computer.","other":"Library Stats shows totals and most-played lists; listening over time needs community plugins."},"duplicates":{"waveflow":"Finds identical files stored in different folders and lets you keep one copy.","other":"A Duplicates Manager that matches on the tags you choose, duration or file size, so it also catches different encodes of a song."},"artwork_fetch":{"waveflow":"Fetches missing artwork from Deezer and artist bios from Last.fm, built in.","other":"Fetches missing covers from several providers, plus artist pictures and Last.fm bios, built in."},"offline_switch":{"waveflow":"Offline mode, a single switch, turns off the online features at once; DLNA, MPD and Discord presence keep working.","other":"No single switch; its developer says each online feature is turned off on its own."},"plugin_sandbox":{"waveflow":"Plugins run sandboxed in WebAssembly and only get the permissions they declare.","other":"Plugins are .NET libraries loaded into the player, with no documented permission model."}},"choose_waveflow":["you use a Mac or Linux, or more than one system","you want lyrics that follow every word, built in","you want an open-source player and your own music server alongside it"],"choose_other":["you are on Windows and want auto-tagging and automatic file organisation","you rip CDs, convert files or sync music and podcasts to an Android device","you like to dress your player in skins, visualizers and theater modes"],"loses":["Library tools: MusicBee auto-tags, organises your files on disk, rips CDs and converts formats; WaveFlow does none of this yet.","Sound shaping: MusicBee has ASIO, a 15-band equalizer, DSP effects and upmixing; WaveFlow has a 6-band equalizer and no ASIO.","Add-ons: MusicBee's add-on site is large and long-lived; WaveFlow's store is young.","Track record: MusicBee has been refined for years; WaveFlow reached 1.0 in May 2026.","Portable: MusicBee has a portable edition; WaveFlow has none."],"notes":{"open_source":"Closed source; the plugin API sources are published.","languages":"About 19 community translations, no official count.","exclusive_output":"WASAPI exclusive and ASIO, on Windows.","dsd":"DoP, raw DSD or PCM over ASIO.","equalizer":"10 or 15 bands, with DSP effects.","word_lyrics":"Lyrics Studio, a community plugin in beta.","dlna":"UPnP 2025, a community plugin.","listening_stats":"Library Stats built in; listening over time through community plugins."},"faq":[{"q":"Is there MusicBee for Mac or Linux?","a":"No. MusicBee ships for Windows only. WaveFlow runs natively on Windows, macOS and Linux."},{"q":"Can WaveFlow organise my files like MusicBee?","a":"Not yet. WaveFlow edits tags but does not move or rename files on disk, rip CDs or convert formats. If you rely on those, MusicBee does more today."},{"q":"Do I lose my library if I try WaveFlow?","a":"No. WaveFlow reads your folders where they are and changes a file only when you edit its tags or rate it, so MusicBee keeps working beside it."}]},"strawberry":{"meta_title":"WaveFlow vs Strawberry: an honest comparison","meta_description":"WaveFlow 2.0.1 and Strawberry 1.2.31 side by side: price, platforms, sound, lyrics, tagging and servers, every source dated, and where WaveFlow still loses.","headline":"Two open-source players with a taste for sound, and different ways to reach your music.","short_answer":"Strawberry and WaveFlow are both open source and run on Linux, Windows and macOS. Strawberry is stronger on collection work, with fingerprint tagging and a transcoder, and it plays from Subsonic, Jellyfin and Plex servers you may already run. WaveFlow brings synced, word-by-word lyrics, a plugin store, a DLNA server and its own music server, and its Windows and macOS builds are free to download, while Strawberry's are for sponsors.","price":"Free on Linux; Windows and macOS builds for sponsors","description":"Strawberry Music Player is an open-source player and library organiser for people who keep their own files, with a care for audio quality. It grew out of Clementine in 2018 and adds tag editing, scrobbling and streaming from your own servers.","matters":{"cost":{"waveflow":"Free to download on every system, and open source.","other":"Open source; free through Linux distributions, while ready-made Windows and macOS builds need a sponsorship (7 USD a month for new sponsors)."},"platforms":{"waveflow":"Windows, macOS and Linux, in 17 languages.","other":"Linux, Windows and macOS, tested on BSD too, with 31 translation files."},"audio":{"waveflow":"Exclusive output on all three systems, macOS included, and DSD as DoP.","other":"Bit-perfect ALSA on Linux, WASAPI exclusive and ASIO on Windows (marked experimental), EBU R128 loudness."},"lyrics":{"waveflow":"Synced lyrics built in, word by word.","other":"Plain lyrics in 1.2.31; synced lyrics are in the code but not in a release yet."},"library":{"waveflow":"Smart playlists, duplicates, loudness and tempo analysis.","other":"Tags from AcoustID fingerprints and MusicBrainz, smart and dynamic playlists, and a transcoder."},"extending":{"waveflow":"Sandboxed WebAssembly plugins from a checked store.","other":"No plugin system."},"maturity":{"waveflow":"1.0 shipped in May 2026.","other":"Developed since 2018 on Clementine's base, with a release every few weeks."},"family":{"waveflow":"Its own server with sync across devices, plus DLNA and MPD servers; no third-party servers yet.","other":"Plays from Subsonic-compatible servers, Jellyfin and Plex; no server of its own."},"languages":{"waveflow":"17 languages, right-to-left included.","other":"30 translations, some of them far from complete."},"scrobbling":{"waveflow":"Scrobbles to Last.fm out of the box.","other":"Scrobbles to Last.fm and ListenBrainz out of the box."},"listening_mixes":{"waveflow":"Daily Mix and On Repeat, generated from what you actually play.","other":"Preset rule playlists such as Most played and Dynamic random mix; no mixes are built from your history."},"listening_stats":{"waveflow":"A statistics page with listening time, a yearly heatmap and your top tracks, artists and albums, plus WaveFlow Wrapped, all computed on your computer.","other":"Play and skip counts as columns; there is no statistics page."},"duplicates":{"waveflow":"Finds identical files stored in different folders and lets you keep one copy.","other":"Shows only duplicates in the collection, matched on artist, album and title, and removes them from a playlist."},"artwork_fetch":{"waveflow":"Fetches missing artwork from Deezer and artist bios from Last.fm, built in.","other":"Downloads covers from Last.fm, MusicBrainz, Discogs, Deezer and more, built in."},"offline_switch":{"waveflow":"Offline mode, a single switch, turns off the online features at once; DLNA, MPD and Discord presence keep working.","other":"No single switch: its offline setting only holds scrobbles back, and covers and lyrics are switched off one by one."},"plugin_sandbox":{"waveflow":"Plugins run sandboxed in WebAssembly and only get the permissions they declare.","other":"No plugins, so no third-party code runs inside it."}},"choose_waveflow":["you want free Windows or macOS downloads","you want synced, word-by-word lyrics and a plugin store","you want a DLNA server and your own music server in the same family"],"choose_other":["you already run Navidrome, Jellyfin or Plex and want to play from it","you tag from acoustic fingerprints or transcode your files","you are on BSD, or you want a long record of steady releases"],"loses":["Third-party servers: Strawberry plays from Subsonic, Jellyfin and Plex; WaveFlow only talks to WaveFlow Server for now.","Tagging: Strawberry identifies tracks from AcoustID fingerprints; WaveFlow matches MusicBrainz from titles, durations and track numbers, with no fingerprint.","Conversion: Strawberry transcodes between formats; WaveFlow does not.","Track record: Strawberry has been released since 2018; WaveFlow reached 1.0 in May 2026."],"notes":{"price":"Free through Linux distributions; ready-made Windows and macOS builds are for sponsors.","languages":"31 translation files, regional variants included.","exclusive_output":"ALSA hw on Linux; WASAPI exclusive and ASIO on Windows, experimental.","dsd":"DSF and DSDIFF play; DoP or PCM is not stated.","synced_lyrics":"Plain lyrics in 1.2.31; synced lyrics are not released yet.","musicbrainz":"With AcoustID fingerprints.","subsonic_client":"Subsonic-compatible servers; Jellyfin and Plex since 1.2.31.","skins":"Qt styles, colours and icons.","plugin_sandbox":"It has no plugins."},"faq":[{"q":"Is Strawberry free?","a":"Strawberry is free software under the GPL and free through most Linux distributions. Its site says ready-made Windows and macOS releases are for sponsors, with 7 USD a month required for new subscribers. WaveFlow's installers are free on every system."},{"q":"Can WaveFlow play from my Navidrome or Jellyfin server?","a":"Not yet. WaveFlow plays from WaveFlow Server, which speaks the OpenSubsonic API to other apps; third-party servers are planned but not shipped. Strawberry plays from them today."},{"q":"Which one is better for audiophiles?","a":"Both can send samples untouched: Strawberry through ALSA on Linux and, experimentally, WASAPI or ASIO on Windows; WaveFlow through exclusive output on Windows, macOS and Linux, with DoP for DSD."}]},"dopamine":{"meta_title":"WaveFlow vs Dopamine: an honest comparison","meta_description":"WaveFlow 2.0.1 and Dopamine 3.0.12 side by side: sound, lyrics, library and extras, every source dated, and where WaveFlow still loses.","headline":"Two clean, open-source players for the music on your computer.","short_answer":"Dopamine and WaveFlow share a lot: open source, free, a clean library on Windows, macOS and Linux, smart playlists and scrobbling. Dopamine keeps things simple and is translated into more languages. WaveFlow goes further on sound and around the music: bit-perfect output, DSD, word-by-word lyrics, internet radio, plugins, a DLNA server and its own music server.","price":"Free (optional donation)","description":"Dopamine is a free, open-source music player for Windows, macOS and Linux that plays the files already on your computer. It aims for a clean, good-looking library with little setup, with lyrics, themes, smart playlists and scrobbling.","matters":{"cost":{"waveflow":"Free and open source under the GPL.","other":"Free and open source under the GPL, with optional donations."},"platforms":{"waveflow":"Windows, macOS and Linux, in 17 languages.","other":"Windows, macOS and Linux, with 25 bundled translations and room for your own."},"audio":{"waveflow":"Exclusive, bit-perfect output and DSD files, built in.","other":"Plays through Chromium's audio: a choice of device, no exclusive mode, no DSD."},"lyrics":{"waveflow":"Synced lyrics word by word, from several sources, with romanization and translations.","other":"Synced lyrics line by line from .lrc and .srt files, and plain lyrics online."},"library":{"waveflow":"Smart playlists, duplicates, loudness and tempo analysis.","other":"Smart playlists with a BPM filter, half-star ratings, artist splitting and playlist folders."},"extending":{"waveflow":"Sandboxed plugins from a checked store.","other":"Themes and translations can be added; no plugin system."},"maturity":{"waveflow":"1.0 shipped in May 2026.","other":"Dopamine 2 came first on Windows; the cross-platform Dopamine 3 went through 40 previews before 3.0 in November 2025."},"family":{"waveflow":"Internet radio, a DLNA and an MPD server, its own music server and QuickPlay.","other":"Local files only: no radio, no server, no network sharing."},"languages":{"waveflow":"17 languages, right-to-left included.","other":"25 languages, and you can add your own translation files."},"scrobbling":{"waveflow":"Scrobbles to Last.fm out of the box.","other":"Scrobbles to Last.fm and ListenBrainz out of the box."},"listening_mixes":{"waveflow":"Daily Mix and On Repeat, generated from what you actually play.","other":"Smart playlists from rules you write, play count included; no mixes are made for you."},"listening_stats":{"waveflow":"A statistics page with listening time, a yearly heatmap and your top tracks, artists and albums, plus WaveFlow Wrapped, all computed on your computer.","other":"Plays, skips and last played as columns; there is no statistics page."},"duplicates":{"waveflow":"Finds identical files stored in different folders and lets you keep one copy.","other":"No duplicate finder."},"artwork_fetch":{"waveflow":"Fetches missing artwork from Deezer and artist bios from Last.fm, built in.","other":"Downloads covers from Last.fm, artist images through MusicBrainz and Fanart.tv, and Last.fm bios, built in."},"offline_switch":{"waveflow":"Offline mode, a single switch, turns off the online features at once; DLNA, MPD and Discord presence keep working.","other":"No single switch; update checks, lyrics, covers and scrobbling each have their own toggle."},"plugin_sandbox":{"waveflow":"Plugins run sandboxed in WebAssembly and only get the permissions they declare.","other":"No plugins, so no third-party code runs inside it."}},"choose_waveflow":["you have a DAC and want bit-perfect output or DSD","you want lyrics word by word, internet radio and plugins","you want to reach your music from other devices"],"choose_other":["you want a simple, quiet player that does the essentials well","your language is among Dopamine's 25 and not among WaveFlow's 17","you like half-star ratings and playlist folders"],"loses":["Languages: Dopamine bundles 25 translations and lets you add your own; WaveFlow has 17.","Track record: Dopamine has a longer history, from Dopamine 2 to 3.0 in November 2025; WaveFlow reached 1.0 in May 2026.","Simplicity: Dopamine does less, and some listeners will find it easier to settle into."],"notes":{"languages":"25 bundled translations; you can add your own.","replaygain":"Reads ReplayGain tags; it does not scan.","equalizer":"10 bands, with presets.","synced_lyrics":"From .lrc and .srt files next to the track.","musicbrainz":"Used to find artist pictures, not to tag.","skins":"12 colour themes, and a folder for your own.","plugin_sandbox":"It has no plugins."},"faq":[{"q":"Is Dopamine or WaveFlow lighter?","a":"We have not measured it, so we do not say. Dopamine is built on Electron and WaveFlow on Tauri; we only publish a figure we can rerun."},{"q":"Does Dopamine support bit-perfect output?","a":"Not as of 3.0.12: it plays through Chromium's audio and lets you pick the output device. WaveFlow has exclusive output on Windows, macOS and Linux."},{"q":"Can I move from Dopamine to WaveFlow?","a":"Point WaveFlow at the same folders; it reads your tags and your ReplayGain values as they are. Dopamine keeps working beside it."}]},"quod-libet":{"meta_title":"WaveFlow vs Quod Libet: an honest comparison","meta_description":"WaveFlow 2.0.1 and Quod Libet 4.7.1 side by side: platforms, sound, lyrics, search, tagging and plugins, every source dated, and where WaveFlow still loses.","headline":"A library you can query like a database, next to a library you can browse like a magazine.","short_answer":"Quod Libet has been built for big, carefully tagged libraries for over twenty years: a search language with regular expressions, mass tag editing, renaming files from tags and more than 80 bundled plugins. WaveFlow puts listening first: current builds on all three systems, bit-perfect output, crossfade, word-by-word lyrics and its own music server. If you live in your tags on Linux, Quod Libet may suit you better; if you would rather browse than query, WaveFlow is the more natural fit.","price":"Free","description":"Quod Libet is a free, open-source music player for Linux and Windows, made for large, carefully tagged libraries that you search and organise your own way. It comes with a strong tag editor, also available on its own as Ex Falso, internet radio, podcasts and dozens of bundled plugins.","matters":{"cost":{"waveflow":"Free and open source under the GPL.","other":"Free and open source under the GPL, version 2 or later."},"platforms":{"waveflow":"Current builds for Windows, macOS and Linux, in 17 languages.","other":"Current builds for Linux and Windows; the last official macOS build is 4.4.0, from 2021."},"audio":{"waveflow":"Exclusive output, DSD, crossfade and a 6-band equalizer, built in.","other":"Excellent ReplayGain handling and an equalizer plugin; no crossfade, and no documented exclusive mode or DSD."},"lyrics":{"waveflow":"Word-by-word lyrics built in, with romanization and translations.","other":"Line-synced lyrics through a bundled plugin."},"library":{"waveflow":"Smart playlists, duplicates, loudness and tempo analysis, a tag editor.","other":"A search language with regular expressions and boolean logic, saved searches as playlists, mass tag editing and renaming from tags."},"extending":{"waveflow":"Sandboxed plugins from a checked store, still few.","other":"A documented Python plugin API and more than 80 plugins bundled with the player."},"maturity":{"waveflow":"1.0 shipped in May 2026.","other":"Version 0.1 in October 2004, releases up to 4.7.1 in 2025."},"family":{"waveflow":"A DLNA and an MPD server, its own music server and QuickPlay.","other":"A UPnP media server plugin on Linux; no remote server support."},"languages":{"waveflow":"17 languages, right-to-left included.","other":"Close to forty translations."},"scrobbling":{"waveflow":"Scrobbles to Last.fm out of the box.","other":"A bundled plugin scrobbles to Last.fm and Libre.fm."},"listening_mixes":{"waveflow":"Daily Mix and On Repeat, generated from what you actually play.","other":"Bundled plugins pick a random next album or favour less-played songs; no mixes are built from your history."},"listening_stats":{"waveflow":"A statistics page with listening time, a yearly heatmap and your top tracks, artists and albums, plus WaveFlow Wrapped, all computed on your computer.","other":"Play count and skip tags you can search, and a Top 40 view; there is no statistics page."},"duplicates":{"waveflow":"Finds identical files stored in different folders and lets you keep one copy.","other":"A bundled Duplicates Browser plugin groups songs with similar tags."},"artwork_fetch":{"waveflow":"Fetches missing artwork from Deezer and artist bios from Last.fm, built in.","other":"Bundled plugins download covers from MusicBrainz, Last.fm and Discogs."},"offline_switch":{"waveflow":"Offline mode, a single switch, turns off the online features at once; DLNA, MPD and Discord presence keep working.","other":"No global switch; each network plugin is turned off on its own."},"plugin_sandbox":{"waveflow":"Plugins run sandboxed in WebAssembly and only get the permissions they declare.","other":"Plugins are Python modules running inside the player, without a sandbox."}},"choose_waveflow":["you use a Mac, or want the same current player everywhere","you want crossfade, bit-perfect output and lyrics that follow every word","you would rather browse covers than write queries"],"choose_other":["you want to search your library with regular expressions and boolean queries","you edit tags across thousands of files and rename files from their tags","you want dozens of plugins in the box, or to write your own in Python"],"loses":["Search: Quod Libet's query language, with regular expressions and boolean logic, goes far beyond WaveFlow's search and filters.","Mass tagging: Quod Libet tags files from their names and renames files from their tags; WaveFlow's tag workshop arrives with 2.0, and renaming files from tags is not part of it.","Plugins: more than 80 ship with Quod Libet; WaveFlow's store has a handful.","Track record: Quod Libet has over twenty years of releases; WaveFlow reached 1.0 in May 2026.","Portable: Quod Libet has a portable Windows build; WaveFlow has none."],"notes":{"macos":"The last official build is 4.4.0, from 2021.","languages":"41 translation files, regional variants included.","tag_editor":"Also on its own as Ex Falso.","dlna":"A media server through Rygel, on Linux.","plugins":"Python, with more than 80 bundled.","skins":"GTK themes, dark or light."},"faq":[{"q":"Why compare WaveFlow with Quod Libet?","a":"Because both are open-source players built around a large local library rather than a playlist, and Quod Libet is strong exactly where WaveFlow is young: search, mass tagging and plugins."},{"q":"Does Quod Libet still run on macOS?","a":"Its downloads page offers 4.4.0 from 2021 as the last official macOS build, and labels a later build as unofficial. WaveFlow releases for macOS with every version."},{"q":"Can WaveFlow search like Quod Libet?","a":"Not to the same depth. WaveFlow has sectioned search, filters and smart playlists built from rules, but no query language with regular expressions in the search box."}]},"navidrome":{"meta_title":"WaveFlow Server vs Navidrome: an honest comparison","meta_description":"WaveFlow Server vs Navidrome: offline web playback, visual smart playlists, podcasts and fake-lossless detection, with sources and the tradeoffs.","headline":"Your music, with offline web playback, visual smart playlists and podcasts.","short_answer":"WaveFlow Server brings offline listening in its web player, a visual editor for smart-playlist rules, podcasts and audio analysis that flags fake lossless files. Both are free, open source and speak OpenSubsonic. Navidrome keeps the advantage in hardware coverage, plugins, interface languages and years of releases.","price":"Free; paid hosting from a partner if you want it","description":"Navidrome is a self-hosted music server and streamer written in Go, known for staying light and quick on large libraries. It has a web player of its own and works with the wide family of Subsonic apps.","matters":{"cost":{"waveflow":"Free and open source, under the AGPL.","other":"Free and open source, under the GPL, with paid one-click hosting from a partner if you want it."},"setup":{"waveflow":"One container for amd64 and arm64, or an archive for Windows, macOS or Linux with FFmpeg inside.","other":"Containers and native packages for many more kinds of hardware, 32-bit ARM and RISC-V included, and an installer on Windows."},"apps":{"waveflow":"Any OpenSubsonic app, with dated test results for four of them; WaveFlow on the desktop plays from it.","other":"Any OpenSubsonic app, and an optional Jellyfin-compatible API; no app of its own."},"sound":{"waveflow":"MP3 · Opus · AAC · ReplayGain","other":"MP3, Opus, AAC or FLAC, per user or player."},"library":{"waveflow":"Analyses the audio of lossless files to flag suspicious encodings.","other":"No"},"people":{"waveflow":"Several accounts, share links with an expiry and a visit limit, Last.fm, ListenBrainz and Maloja.","other":"Several accounts, share links, Last.fm and ListenBrainz."},"scope":{"waveflow":"Music, podcasts and radio, with no plugins.","other":"Music and radio, extended by WebAssembly plugins."},"maturity":{"waveflow":"First release in August 2026, stable since October 2026, in nine languages.","other":"Developed since 2016, released since 2020, with steady releases and 37 interface languages."},"offline_web":{"waveflow":"Yes · Built in.","other":"No"},"smart_playlist_editor":{"waveflow":"Yes · Built in.","other":"No · In beta, from .nsp files or a client; no editor in the web player."},"podcasts":{"waveflow":"Yes · Built in.","other":"No"},"private_default":{"waveflow":"At its default settings it contacts no outside service; you switch each one on, and its documentation lists every request.","other":"Sends anonymous usage statistics every day and looks artists up on Deezer and Last.fm by default; all of it can be switched off."},"setup_protected":{"waveflow":"The first setup asks for a one-time token written on the server, so only the person running it can create the admin account.","other":"The first person to open a new server creates the admin account."},"upgrade_backup":{"waveflow":"Copies the database and its key before every upgrade, and backs up on demand with one command.","other":"Backup commands and scheduled backups, off by default; no copy is made before an upgrade changes the database."},"no_terminal":{"waveflow":"Archives for Windows and macOS start with a double-click, FFmpeg included, and open the web player.","other":"An installer with FFmpeg on Windows; on macOS, setup goes through the terminal."},"online_lyrics":{"waveflow":"Fills in synced lyrics from LRCLIB when a file has none, once you switch it on.","other":"Reads lyrics from files and tags; finding them online takes a community plugin."},"listening_mixes":{"waveflow":"Builds mixes from what you actually play, in the web player.","other":"Instant Mix starts from one song, through online services; mixes from your history take a community plugin."},"listening_stats":{"waveflow":"A statistics page with plays and listening time per day, and your top tracks, artists and albums.","other":"Lists of the most played albums and songs, without a statistics page."}},"choose_waveflow":["you want a web player that also works offline, installed like an app","you want to know which of your lossless files really are lossless","you listen to podcasts, or want WaveFlow on the desktop to play from your server"],"choose_other":["you run an older or 32-bit ARM board, or want a native package for your distribution","you want plugins, or an interface in a language WaveFlow Server does not have yet","you want a server with years of releases behind it"],"loses":["Hardware: Navidrome ships for 32-bit ARM, 32-bit x86 and RISC-V; WaveFlow Server only for amd64 and arm64.","Plugins: Navidrome has WebAssembly plugins; WaveFlow Server has none.","Languages: Navidrome's interface comes in 37 languages, WaveFlow Server's in nine.","Track record: Navidrome has been released since 2020; WaveFlow Server's first stable release is from October 2026."],"notes":{"price":"Paid hosting from PikaPods, which shares its revenue with the project.","arm64":"amd64 and arm64, and 32-bit ARM (v6, v7).","without_docker":"Binaries, an MSI installer, deb and rpm.","transcoding":"MP3, Opus, AAC or FLAC, per user or player.","smart_playlists":"In beta, from .nsp files or a client; no editor in the web player.","sharing":"Public share links, on by default.","plugins":"WebAssembly plugins.","smart_playlist_editor":"In beta, from .nsp files or a client; no editor in the web player."},"faq":[{"q":"Can I move from Navidrome to WaveFlow Server and keep my apps?","a":"Your apps, yes: both speak OpenSubsonic, so a Subsonic app signs in to either. Favourites, ratings and plays live in each server's own database, and WaveFlow Server has no importer for Navidrome's; playlists can move as `.m3u` files."},{"q":"Does Navidrome spot fake lossless files?","a":"Not that its documentation shows. WaveFlow Server measures the audio of every lossless file and shows where its highs stop, so a FLAC made from an MP3 stands out."},{"q":"Can WaveFlow on the desktop play from Navidrome?","a":"Not yet: the WaveFlow player only talks to WaveFlow Server for now. A Subsonic app such as Feishin or Symfonium plays from both."}]},"jellyfin":{"meta_title":"WaveFlow Server vs Jellyfin: an honest comparison","meta_description":"WaveFlow Server 2.2.1 and Jellyfin 12.4 side by side for music: setup, apps, streaming, library, sharing, video and track record, every source dated, and where WaveFlow Server still loses.","headline":"A media server for everything you own, and a music server that does only music.","short_answer":"Jellyfin is free, open source and serves films, series, live TV and books as well as music, with official apps and installers for every system. For music it leans on community plugins for smart playlists and scrobbling, and Subsonic support is neither built in nor in its official plugin catalogue. WaveFlow Server only does music, podcasts and radio, but builds the music parts in: OpenSubsonic for the apps you already use, scrobbling to three services, share links, podcasts and a check that catches fake lossless files. If your music sits next to your films, Jellyfin keeps them together; if music is the point, WaveFlow Server is made for it.","price":"Free, with no paid tier","description":"Jellyfin is a free-software media system, built by volunteers since 2018 from the code of Emby. One server holds your films, series, music, books and live TV, with official apps on phones, televisions and the web.","matters":{"cost":{"waveflow":"Free and open source, under the AGPL.","other":"Free and open source, under the GPL, with no premium tier."},"setup":{"waveflow":"One container for amd64 and arm64, or an archive for Windows, macOS or Linux with FFmpeg inside.","other":"Installers for Windows and macOS, Linux packages and a container, on amd64 and arm64."},"apps":{"waveflow":"Any OpenSubsonic app, with dated test results for four of them; no phone app of its own yet.","other":"Official apps on phones, televisions and the web, and community music apps such as Finamp; Subsonic is not built in."},"sound":{"waveflow":"MP3 · Opus · AAC · ReplayGain","other":"Yes · Built in."},"library":{"waveflow":"Analyses the audio of lossless files to flag suspicious encodings.","other":"No"},"people":{"waveflow":"Several accounts, share links, and scrobbling to Last.fm, ListenBrainz and Maloja built in.","other":"Several accounts with their own rights; scrobbling through community plugins."},"scope":{"waveflow":"Music, podcasts and radio, with no plugins.","other":"Films, series, live TV, books and music, with a plugin catalogue."},"maturity":{"waveflow":"First release in August 2026, stable since October 2026.","other":"Released since January 2019, on code that goes back further, with a large community."},"offline_web":{"waveflow":"Yes · Built in.","other":"Not confirmed"},"smart_playlist_editor":{"waveflow":"Yes · Built in.","other":"No"},"podcasts":{"waveflow":"Yes · Built in.","other":"Not confirmed"},"private_default":{"waveflow":"At its default settings it contacts no outside service; you switch each one on, and its documentation lists every request.","other":"No telemetry, but it checks its plugin catalogue at start-up and every day, and new libraries fetch metadata online."},"setup_protected":{"waveflow":"The first setup asks for a one-time token written on the server, so only the person running it can create the admin account.","other":"Until the setup wizard is finished, anyone who reaches the server can run it."},"upgrade_backup":{"waveflow":"Copies the database and its key before every upgrade, and backs up on demand with one command.","other":"Copies the database before a migration but deletes the copy once it succeeds; full backups are made by hand."},"no_terminal":{"waveflow":"Archives for Windows and macOS start with a double-click, FFmpeg included, and open the web player.","other":"A menu-bar app on macOS and an installer on Windows, FFmpeg included."},"online_lyrics":{"waveflow":"Fills in synced lyrics from LRCLIB when a file has none, once you switch it on.","other":"Through the official LRCLIB plugin, installed from its own catalogue."},"listening_mixes":{"waveflow":"Builds mixes from what you actually play, in the web player.","other":"Instant Mix is built from the genres of one item, not from your history."},"listening_stats":{"waveflow":"A statistics page with plays and listening time per day, and your top tracks, artists and albums.","other":"Through the official Playback Reporting plugin."}},"choose_waveflow":["music is what you serve, and you want the music parts built in","you already use a Subsonic app such as Symfonium or Feishin","you want share links, podcasts and a check for fake lossless files"],"choose_other":["you want films, series and music on one server","you want official apps for your television and your phone","you want a large community and years of releases behind it"],"loses":["Video: Jellyfin serves films, series and live TV; WaveFlow Server is for audio only.","Apps: Jellyfin has official phone and television apps; WaveFlow Server's phone apps are not released yet.","Installers: Jellyfin has a Windows installer and a macOS disk image; WaveFlow Server ships archives.","Track record: Jellyfin has been released since 2019; WaveFlow Server's first stable release is from October 2026."],"notes":{"arm64":"amd64 and arm64; 32-bit ARM was dropped in 10.11.","without_docker":"Windows installer, macOS disk image, Linux packages.","opensubsonic":"Not built in, and not in the official plugin catalogue.","official_apps":"Android and iOS; Finamp, for music, is a community app.","offline":"In the Android app; iOS not confirmed.","internet_radio":"As channels, through the live TV tuner.","sharing":"Accounts only; sharing points to an item's page, not a stream.","lastfm":"The main plugin is archived.","listenbrainz":"Through a plugin; built in only for suggestions."},"faq":[{"q":"Can I keep Jellyfin for my films and use WaveFlow Server for music?","a":"Yes. They are separate programs and can read the same music folder; WaveFlow Server only reads it and never rewrites your files. Each one keeps its own favourites and plays."},{"q":"Can my Subsonic app play from Jellyfin?","a":"Not out of the box: Jellyfin has its own API, and its official plugin catalogue does not add Subsonic. Apps such as Finamp speak Jellyfin's API instead. WaveFlow Server speaks OpenSubsonic, so Symfonium, Feishin, DSub or Juliet sign in as they are."},{"q":"Is Jellyfin 12.4 the same line as Jellyfin 10.x?","a":"Yes. Jellyfin dropped the leading 10 from its version numbers, so what would have been 10.12 shipped as 12.0."}]},"plex":{"meta_title":"WaveFlow Server vs Plex: an honest comparison","meta_description":"WaveFlow Server 2.2.1 and Plex Media Server 1.43.5 with Plexamp side by side for music: price, setup, apps, streaming, library and track record, every source dated, and where WaveFlow Server still loses.","headline":"A polished media service with a paid pass, and an open server that keeps everything on your side.","short_answer":"Plex is a long-running, closed-source media server for films, series and music, with Plexamp, a well-made music app, and a relay that reaches your server from anywhere without opening a port. Playing your own music in Plexamp, at home or away, is free; downloads, lyrics in Plexamp and several Plexamp features need a Plex Pass. WaveFlow Server is open source and free in full, speaks OpenSubsonic to the apps you choose, and keeps tracks offline in its web player; you reach it from outside through your own reverse proxy. Plex wins on polish, reach and history; WaveFlow Server on openness and on everything being included.","price":"Free server; Plex Pass from 6.99 USD a month for downloads, lyrics and more","description":"Plex is a media server and a set of apps from Plex, Inc., started in 2008. It organises films, series, music and photos on your own machine and streams them to its apps, and Plexamp is its app made for music.","matters":{"cost":{"waveflow":"Free in full and open source, under the AGPL.","other":"Closed source; the server and streaming music are free, while downloads, lyrics and Plexamp extras need a Plex Pass (6.99 USD a month)."},"setup":{"waveflow":"One container for amd64 and arm64, or an archive for Windows, macOS or Linux with FFmpeg inside.","other":"Installers for Windows, macOS and Linux, FreeBSD, many NAS systems, and a container for amd64, arm64 and 32-bit ARM."},"apps":{"waveflow":"Any OpenSubsonic app, with dated test results for four of them; no phone app of its own yet.","other":"Plexamp, its own music app, and Plex apps on phones and televisions; Subsonic apps do not connect."},"sound":{"waveflow":"MP3 · Opus · AAC · ReplayGain","other":"Yes · Built in."},"library":{"waveflow":"Analyses the audio of lossless files to flag suspicious encodings.","other":"No"},"people":{"waveflow":"Several accounts, share links, and scrobbling to Last.fm, ListenBrainz and Maloja.","other":"Plex Home and managed users, libraries shared with friends' accounts, and Last.fm."},"scope":{"waveflow":"Music, podcasts and radio.","other":"Films, series, live TV and music, in one place."},"maturity":{"waveflow":"First release in August 2026, stable since October 2026.","other":"Developed since 2008 by a company, with a very large number of users."},"offline_web":{"waveflow":"Yes · Built in.","other":"No"},"smart_playlist_editor":{"waveflow":"Yes · Built in.","other":"Not confirmed"},"podcasts":{"waveflow":"Yes · Built in.","other":"No · Ended in April 2022."},"private_default":{"waveflow":"At its default settings it contacts no outside service; you switch each one on, and its documentation lists every request.","other":"Its privacy policy lists data collected from every server, such as library details, with no opt-out for that part."},"setup_protected":{"waveflow":"The first setup asks for a one-time token written on the server, so only the person running it can create the admin account.","other":"A new server is claimed by signing in with a Plex account; anyone on the same local network can do it first."},"upgrade_backup":{"waveflow":"Copies the database and its key before every upgrade, and backs up on demand with one command.","other":"A scheduled task copies the database every three days; no copy before an upgrade is documented."},"no_terminal":{"waveflow":"Archives for Windows and macOS start with a double-click, FFmpeg included, and open the web player.","other":"An app on macOS and an installer on Windows."},"online_lyrics":{"waveflow":"Fills in synced lyrics from LRCLIB when a file has none, once you switch it on.","other":"Online lyrics come from LyricFind, with a Plex Pass."},"listening_mixes":{"waveflow":"Builds mixes from what you actually play, in the web player.","other":"Mixes For You need sonic analysis, a Plex Pass and Plexamp."},"listening_stats":{"waveflow":"A statistics page with plays and listening time per day, and your top tracks, artists and albums.","other":"Play history and top played in the dashboard need a Plex Pass."}},"choose_waveflow":["you want everything included, with nothing behind a pass","you want open source, and apps you choose through OpenSubsonic","you listen to podcasts, or want to know which lossless files are real"],"choose_other":["you want Plexamp, and films and series on the same server","you want to reach your server from anywhere without setting up a proxy","you want a mature product with apps on almost every device"],"loses":["Reaching it from outside: Plex's relay works without opening a port; WaveFlow Server needs your own reverse proxy.","Apps: Plexamp is a mature, official music app; WaveFlow Server's phone apps are not released yet.","Video: Plex serves films, series and live TV; WaveFlow Server is for audio only.","Track record: Plex has been developed since 2008; WaveFlow Server's first stable release is from October 2026."],"notes":{"price":"Downloads, lyrics and Plexamp extras need a Plex Pass.","arm64":"amd64, arm64 and 32-bit ARM (v7).","without_docker":"Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD and NAS packages.","official_apps":"Plexamp, free, with paid extras.","offline":"Downloads need a Plex Pass.","synced_lyrics":"Timed .lrc files; lyrics in Plexamp need a Plex Pass.","podcasts":"Ended in April 2022.","sharing":"With other people's Plex accounts.","remote_access":"Through Plex's relay; free for music in Plexamp.","online_lyrics":"From LyricFind, with a Plex Pass.","listening_mixes":"With a Plex Pass, in Plexamp.","listening_stats":"With a Plex Pass."},"faq":[{"q":"Do I need a Plex Pass to play my music away from home?","a":"Not for streaming: Plex says its remote playback rules do not apply to music in Plexamp. Downloads for offline listening, lyrics and several Plexamp features do need a Plex Pass, at 6.99 USD a month or 69.99 USD a year as Plex announced in 2025."},{"q":"Can I use Plexamp with WaveFlow Server?","a":"No: Plexamp only talks to Plex. WaveFlow Server works with Subsonic apps such as Symfonium, Feishin, DSub or Juliet, and with WaveFlow on the desktop."},{"q":"How do I reach WaveFlow Server from outside my home?","a":"Through a reverse proxy with HTTPS. The repository ships a Caddy setup that gets and renews the certificate itself; there is no relay like Plex's."}]},"ampache":{"meta_title":"WaveFlow Server vs Ampache: an honest comparison","meta_description":"WaveFlow Server 2.2.1 and Ampache 8.4.0 side by side: setup, apps, streaming, library, sharing, video and track record, every source dated, and where WaveFlow Server still loses.","headline":"The longest-running open music server, and a young one that fits in a single binary.","short_answer":"Ampache has served music since 2001 and does a great deal: music and video in one catalogue, podcasts, radio, about forty bundled plugins, and OpenSubsonic for your apps. It is a PHP application that asks for a web server and a MySQL or MariaDB database. WaveFlow Server is one binary with one database file, in a container or an archive you start on your own computer, with a web player that works offline and a check that catches fake lossless files. Ampache wins on breadth and history; WaveFlow Server on how little it asks of you.","price":"Free; donations welcome","description":"Ampache is a web application for streaming your own audio and video, written in PHP and developed in the open since 2001. It comes with a web player, a large set of bundled plugins and its own API next to the Subsonic one.","matters":{"cost":{"waveflow":"Free and open source, under the AGPL.","other":"Free and open source, under the AGPL, funded by donations."},"setup":{"waveflow":"One binary and one SQLite file, in a container or an archive with FFmpeg inside; no database server.","other":"A PHP application for your own web server with MySQL or MariaDB, or an official container for amd64, arm64 and 32-bit ARM."},"apps":{"waveflow":"Any OpenSubsonic app, with dated test results for four of them; WaveFlow on the desktop plays from it.","other":"Any OpenSubsonic app, its own Ampache API and an optional Jellyfin-compatible one; no app of its own."},"sound":{"waveflow":"MP3 · Opus · AAC · ReplayGain","other":"Audio to MP3, Ogg, Opus, M4A or WAV; video too."},"library":{"waveflow":"Analyses the audio of lossless files to flag suspicious encodings.","other":"No"},"people":{"waveflow":"Several accounts, share links with an expiry and a visit limit, Last.fm, ListenBrainz and Maloja.","other":"Access levels per user, optional sign-up, share links an admin turns on, Last.fm and ListenBrainz."},"scope":{"waveflow":"Music, podcasts and radio, with no plugins.","other":"Video in the same catalogue, and about forty bundled plugins."},"maturity":{"waveflow":"First release in August 2026, stable since October 2026.","other":"Developed since 2001, with two release lines maintained side by side today."},"offline_web":{"waveflow":"Yes · Built in.","other":"Not confirmed"},"smart_playlist_editor":{"waveflow":"Yes · Built in.","other":"Yes"},"podcasts":{"waveflow":"Yes · Built in.","other":"Yes"},"private_default":{"waveflow":"At its default settings it contacts no outside service; you switch each one on, and its documentation lists every request.","other":"Checks GitHub for new versions by default, and again when an admin signs in."},"setup_protected":{"waveflow":"The first setup asks for a one-time token written on the server, so only the person running it can create the admin account.","other":"The web installer creates the first admin from whatever account it is sent."},"upgrade_backup":{"waveflow":"Copies the database and its key before every upgrade, and backs up on demand with one command.","other":"No backup command, and database changes run without a copy first."},"no_terminal":{"waveflow":"Archives for Windows and macOS start with a double-click, FFmpeg included, and open the web player.","other":"A PHP application that needs a web server and MySQL or MariaDB."},"online_lyrics":{"waveflow":"Fills in synced lyrics from LRCLIB when a file has none, once you switch it on.","other":"Its bundled LRCLIB module fetches plain lyrics, not synced ones."},"listening_mixes":{"waveflow":"Builds mixes from what you actually play, in the web player.","other":"Random, newest and trending lists, and smart playlists you build; no mixes from your history."},"listening_stats":{"waveflow":"A statistics page with plays and listening time per day, and your top tracks, artists and albums.","other":"A yearly Wrapped view and statistics graphs, built in."}},"choose_waveflow":["you want a server without a database server to run beside it","you want a web player that keeps tracks for offline listening","you want to know which of your lossless files really are lossless"],"choose_other":["you want your videos and your music in the same place","you want a long list of plugins, or its own API, ready to use","you already run PHP and MySQL, or want a project with two decades behind it"],"loses":["Video: Ampache serves videos from the same catalogue; WaveFlow Server is for audio only.","Plugins: Ampache bundles about forty; WaveFlow Server has none.","Hardware: Ampache's container also runs on 32-bit ARM; WaveFlow Server's needs amd64 or arm64.","Track record: Ampache has been developed since 2001; WaveFlow Server's first stable release is from October 2026."],"notes":{"arm64":"amd64, arm64 and 32-bit ARM (v7).","without_docker":"Release archives for a web server with PHP and MySQL or MariaDB.","transcoding":"Audio to MP3, Ogg, Opus, M4A or WAV; video too.","synced_lyrics":"Word by word when the lyrics are timed that way; LRCLIB plugin bundled.","sharing":"Off until an admin allows it; links last 7 days by default.","video":"In the same catalogue, off by default.","plugins":"About forty, bundled with the source.","online_lyrics":"Its bundled LRCLIB module fetches plain lyrics only."},"faq":[{"q":"Which Ampache does this page compare?","a":"8.4.0, the release GitHub marks as the latest. Ampache also maintains its 7 line (7.10.5 in October 2026), which its README still calls the most stable one."},{"q":"Do I need a database server for either?","a":"For Ampache, yes: MySQL or MariaDB, beside a web server with PHP, unless you use its container. WaveFlow Server keeps everything in one SQLite file next to its key."},{"q":"Can WaveFlow on the desktop play from Ampache?","a":"Not yet: the WaveFlow player only talks to WaveFlow Server for now. A Subsonic app such as Feishin or Symfonium plays from both."}]}},"compare_page":{"breadcrumb":"Breadcrumb","crumb_compare":"Compare","kicker":"Comparison","title":"WaveFlow vs {name}","versions":"WaveFlow {waveflow} and {name} {other}","updated":"facts read on {date}","short_title":"The short answer","matters_title":"What matters","matters_intro":"Sixteen points most listeners weigh when they pick a player. Each side gets a sentence, and the better one on that point is marked. Where it is close, it is a tie.","matters":{"cost":"Price and openness","platforms":"Platforms and languages","audio":"Sound and output","lyrics":"Lyrics","library":"Library and tagging","extending":"Extending it","maturity":"Track record","family":"Beyond this computer","languages":"In your language","scrobbling":"Last.fm scrobbling, built in","listening_mixes":"Mixes made from your own listening","listening_stats":"Listening statistics, built in","duplicates":"Finds duplicate tracks","artwork_fetch":"Artwork and artist info found online","offline_switch":"One switch to go fully offline","plugin_sandbox":"Plugins kept apart from your system"},"better":"Better here","tie":"Tie","tally_label":"Tally","tied":"Tied","score":"WaveFlow {waveflow} · {name} {other} · tied {tie}","matrix_title":"What each one can do","matrix_intro":"Yes, no or not confirmed: not confirmed means no official page settles it either way. WaveFlow is read at {waveflow}.","matrix_caption":"Capabilities of WaveFlow and {name}","col_capability":"Capability","groups":{"access":"Getting it","playback":"Playback","lyrics":"Lyrics","library":"Library","connections":"Connections","extending":"Extending and look"},"capabilities":{"price":"Free to download and use","open_source":"Open source","windows":"Windows","macos":"macOS","linux":"Linux","languages":"Translated interface","portable":"Portable mode","gapless":"Gapless playback","replaygain":"ReplayGain","exclusive_output":"Exclusive, bit-perfect output","dsd":"DSD files","equalizer":"Equalizer","crossfade":"Crossfade","synced_lyrics":"Synced lyrics","word_lyrics":"Word-by-word lyrics","smart_playlists":"Smart playlists","tag_editor":"Tag editor","musicbrainz":"Tags from MusicBrainz","cd_ripping":"CD ripping","conversion":"Format conversion","lastfm":"Last.fm scrobbling","internet_radio":"Internet radio","podcasts":"Podcasts","dlna":"DLNA / UPnP","subsonic_client":"Plays from a Subsonic, Jellyfin or Plex server","plugins":"Plugins","skins":"Skins or themes","duplicates":"Duplicate finder","listening_mixes":"Mixes from your listening history","listening_stats":"Listening statistics page","artwork_fetch":"Downloads artwork and artist info","offline_switch":"One switch turns off the online features","plugin_sandbox":"Sandboxed plugins with permissions"},"values":{"yes":"Yes","no":"No","unconfirmed":"Not confirmed"},"how":{"builtin":"Built in","official_addon":"Official add-on","third_party":"Community plugin"},"beta":"In the 2.0 beta","waveflow_notes":{"open_source":"GPL-3.0-only.","macos":"Not notarized by Apple yet; an install script clears the quarantine flag.","languages":"17 languages, right-to-left included.","exclusive_output":"On Windows, macOS and Linux.","dsd":"DSF and DFF, sent as DoP to a DAC that takes it, converted to PCM otherwise.","equalizer":"6 bands, with presets.","word_lyrics":"Estimated when a source only has line timing.","dlna":"A media server, off by default; an MPD server too.","subsonic_client":"WaveFlow Server only, for now.","skins":"Six skins and fourteen themes.","duplicates":"Identical files stored in different folders."},"choose_title":"Which one to pick","choose_waveflow":"Choose WaveFlow if…","choose_other":"Choose {name} if…","loses_title":"Where WaveFlow still loses","loses_intro":"What {name} does better today, said plainly. A loss stays on this page until it is no longer true.","about_title":"About {name}","facts":{"maker":"Made by","license":"Licence","proprietary":"Proprietary, closed source","price":"Price","platforms":"Desktop systems","version":"Version compared","released":"released {date}","website":"Website","repository":"Source code"},"method_title":"Method and sources","method_body":"Every fact about {name} was read on its own website, documentation, repository or store page on {date}; nothing comes from reviews or from memory. A capability is yes only when an official page shows it, no when an official page rules it out or the area is covered and it is absent, and not confirmed otherwise. Descriptions are our own words.","method_waveflow":"WaveFlow facts come from its repository, at the {stable} release ({stableDate}).","no_measures":"This page has no speed or memory figures: we only publish a measure we can rerun, with the versions, the machine and the method beside it.","data_link":"The data behind this page","correction":"Report a mistake","sources_other":"Sources for {name}","sources_waveflow":"Sources for WaveFlow","source_version":"Version","read_on":"read {date}","faq_title":"Questions","others_title":"Other comparisons","all_comparisons":"All comparisons","server":{"title":"WaveFlow Server vs {name}","versions":"WaveFlow Server {waveflow} and {name} {other}","matters_intro":"Eighteen equally weighted criteria for your music server. Each confirmed advantage earns one point; equal or unconfirmed capabilities remain neutral.","matters":{"cost":"Price and openness","setup":"Setting it up","apps":"Apps that play from it","sound":"Converts on the fly","library":"Spots lossless files made from lossy ones","people":"Accounts and sharing","scope":"Beyond your music","maturity":"Track record","offline_web":"Offline listening in the web player","smart_playlist_editor":"Smart-playlist rule editor in the built-in web player","podcasts":"Podcasts","private_default":"Sends nothing out unless you allow it","setup_protected":"A new server cannot be claimed by a stranger","upgrade_backup":"Backs up its database before every upgrade","no_terminal":"Starts on Windows and macOS without a terminal","online_lyrics":"Synced lyrics found online, free and built in","listening_mixes":"Mixes made from your own listening, free and built in","listening_stats":"Listening statistics, free and built in"},"score":"WaveFlow Server {waveflow} · {name} {other} · Neutral {tie}","matrix_intro":"Yes, no or not confirmed: not confirmed means no official page settles it either way. WaveFlow Server is read at {waveflow}.","matrix_caption":"Capabilities of WaveFlow Server and {name}","groups":{"access":"Getting it","listening":"Listening","library":"Library","people":"People","beyond":"Beyond the basics","music":"Music first","trust":"Peace of mind"},"capabilities":{"price":"Free to use in full","open_source":"Open source","docker":"Official Docker image","arm64":"64-bit ARM, such as a Raspberry Pi 4 or 5","without_docker":"Runs without Docker","web_player":"Web player built in","opensubsonic":"OpenSubsonic API, for Subsonic apps","official_apps":"Official phone apps","transcoding":"Converts on the fly","offline":"Offline listening in its own player","fake_lossless":"Spots lossless files made from lossy ones","synced_lyrics":"Synced lyrics for your apps","smart_playlists":"Smart playlists","podcasts":"Podcasts","internet_radio":"Internet radio","multi_user":"Several accounts","sharing":"Sharing with other people","lastfm":"Last.fm scrobbling","listenbrainz":"ListenBrainz scrobbling","video":"Films and series too","remote_access":"Reachable from outside without opening a port","plugins":"Plugins","offline_web":"Offline listening in the web player","smart_playlist_editor":"Smart-playlist rule editor in the built-in web player","private_default":"Nothing sent out at default settings","setup_protected":"First setup protected by a one-time token","upgrade_backup":"Database copied before every upgrade","no_terminal":"Starts on Windows and macOS without a terminal","online_lyrics":"Synced lyrics from LRCLIB when the file has none","listening_mixes":"Mixes from your listening history","listening_stats":"Listening statistics page"},"waveflow_notes":{"open_source":"AGPL-3.0.","arm64":"amd64 and arm64; no 32-bit ARM image.","without_docker":"Archives for Windows, macOS and Linux, FFmpeg included.","opensubsonic":"Symfonium, Feishin, DSub and Juliet tested, results published.","official_apps":"WaveFlow on the desktop plays from it; the phone apps are not released yet.","transcoding":"MP3, Opus or AAC, with volume levelling on the server.","sharing":"Share links, with an optional expiry and visit limit.","remote_access":"Through your own reverse proxy; a Caddy setup comes with it.","online_lyrics":"Off until you switch it on."},"choose_waveflow":"Choose WaveFlow Server if…","loses_title":"Where WaveFlow Server still loses","facts":{"platforms":"Its own builds for","no_platforms":"None: it runs in a container or on your own web server"},"method_waveflow":"WaveFlow Server facts come from its repository, at the {stable} release ({stableDate}).","sources_waveflow":"Sources for WaveFlow Server","tie":"Neutral","tied":"Neutral"}},"__i18n_root":"3b3390b6"}