FAQ
Is else-wer free?
Section titled “Is else-wer free?”The server and its web app are free for personal, noncommercial use. The source is available under the PolyForm Strict license, which does not allow redistribution. There’s no subscription, no account with us, and the server sends no telemetry. The Android app is a small one-time purchase; see Apps. If else-wer is useful to you, there’s an optional support link on the home page.
Who owns my data?
Section titled “Who owns my data?”You do. Your audiobook files, your library metadata, your listening progress — all of it lives on hardware you control. Nothing is sent anywhere unless you explicitly configure metadata matching against a third-party source.
What hardware do I need?
Section titled “What hardware do I need?”else-wer is a lightweight Rust server — it’s been run on a Raspberry Pi Zero. Anything from a Pi to an old laptop to a small VPS is enough for a personal or family library.
Do I need Docker?
Section titled “Do I need Docker?”No, but it’s the easiest path — see Quick start. You can also build the server from source; see the else-wer-server repo for build instructions.
How do I update else-wer?
Section titled “How do I update else-wer?”If you’re running via Docker, git pull then docker compose up -d --build — see Docker. Database migrations run automatically on startup.
Does offline playback work on iPhone?
Section titled “Does offline playback work on iPhone?”Yes, with one requirement: iOS needs HTTPS to allow offline downloads at all. See iOS offline limitations and HTTPS with DuckDNS to set that up for free.
Can multiple people use one else-wer server?
Section titled “Can multiple people use one else-wer server?”Yes — else-wer supports multiple user accounts with permissions (e.g. who can reorganize the library vs. who can just listen).
Where do I report bugs or request features?
Section titled “Where do I report bugs or request features?”On the else-wer-server GitHub repo.