Relay for Reddit

Best Self-hosted Alternatives to Relay for Reddit

A curated collection of the 2 best self hosted alternatives to Relay for Reddit.

Third-party Android client for Reddit offering card-based browsing, customizable themes, gesture navigation, integrated media viewing, and account management for reading, posting, and moderating Reddit content.

Alternatives List

#1
Lurker

Lurker

Lurker is a self-hosted, read-only Reddit client with a mobile-first UI, minimal JavaScript, sqlite storage and account/invite subscription management.

Lurker is a lightweight, self-hosted web front-end for browsing Reddit in a read-only fashion. It focuses on a mobile-optimized, low-JavaScript experience and provides basic account and invite management for controlled access.

Key Features

  • Read-only Reddit client with mobile-first rendering and responsive layouts
  • Minimal client-side JavaScript and server-rendered Pug templates for fast page loads
  • Account-based subscription management with invite-only user administration
  • Pagination, comment collapsing, jump-to-next/previous comment navigation
  • Search-on-undelete helper for deleted comments and hidden spoiler/NSFW content hidden by default
  • Stores instance data in a local SQLite database for simple setup and backup
  • Provides a small admin dashboard for invites and basic user management

Use Cases

  • Host a private, invite-only Reddit browsing instance for friends or a small community
  • Provide a lightweight, mobile-friendly Reddit front-end for low-resource devices or networks
  • Browse and review deleted or archived comments with search and collapse tools

Limitations and Considerations

  • Read-only: no posting, voting, or account syncing with official Reddit accounts
  • Uses a local SQLite file with no built-in option to change the storage backend or database path
  • Minimal feature expansion expected; intentionally avoids heavy JavaScript and large feature additions

Lurker is designed for simple, private Reddit browsing with low operational overhead. It is suitable where a lightweight, privacy-conscious, read-only front-end is preferred over a full-featured Reddit client.

328stars
20forks
View Details
#2
Eddrit

Eddrit

A compact, privacy-minded read-only frontend for Reddit with mobile-friendly UI, RSS support, and easy self-hosting using Python and ASGI.

Eddrit is a lightweight alternative frontend for Reddit that provides a compact, privacy-focused browsing experience. It replicates Reddit pages with a simpler UI and improved mobile support while avoiding ads and heavy tracking.

Key Features

  • Lightweight, compact design inspired by old Reddit for fast, minimal browsing
  • Read-only frontend that proxies Reddit content without embedding trackers or ads
  • Mimics the official Android app to access Reddit endpoints without requiring OAuth for self-hosting
  • Basic RSS support for subreddits and posts with rewritten URLs pointing to the instance
  • Implemented in Python using an ASGI stack for efficient async handling
  • Easy deployment: Docker and docker-compose configurations plus a Makefile for common tasks
  • Frontend built with standard web technologies and Bootstrap/Pico.css for responsive UI

Use Cases

  • Privacy-friendly browsing of Reddit content without ads or trackers
  • Running a small public or private instance to mirror subreddit pages for users or communities
  • Consuming subreddit feeds via rewritten RSS for integration with feed readers or aggregators

Limitations and Considerations

  • Primarily a read-only frontend: interactive features that require Reddit authentication (posting, voting, private messages) are not the focus and may be limited or unsupported
  • Functionality depends on Reddit endpoints and may break or require updates if Reddit changes its APIs or rate-limiting behavior
  • Media handling can be limited compared to the official client; some video or hosted content may not play identically to Reddit

Eddrit is a pragmatic option for users who want a fast, no-frills view of Reddit content with better mobile behavior and RSS interoperability. It is suitable for self-hosting and small public instances where privacy and simplicity are priorities.

161stars
7forks
View Details

Why choose an open source alternative?

  • •Data ownership: Keep your data on your own servers
  • •No vendor lock-in: Freedom to switch or modify at any time
  • •Cost savings: Reduce or eliminate subscription fees
  • •Transparency: Audit the code and know exactly what's running