Prowlarr vs Jackett: Which Indexer Manager?
Source: Dev.to
[](https://dev.to/selfhostingsh)Quick Verdict
Prowlarr is the better choice for anyone running Sonarr, Radarr, or other *arr apps. It syncs indexers directly to your *arr stack without the need to copy API keys manually.
Jackett still works and supports more indexers, but its development model is showing its age compared to Prowlarr’s native integration.
Overview
Both Prowlarr and Jackett solve the same problem: managing torrent and Usenet indexers in one place so your media‑automation stack can search for content.
| Prowlarr | Jackett | |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Built by the *arr team (Sonarr, Radarr, Lidarr, Readarr) | Independent project that predates Prowlarr |
| Architecture | C#/.NET, native *arr UI patterns | Proxy server that translates Torznab/Potato queries to tracker‑specific calls |
| Primary purpose | Modern replacement with native integration into the Servarr ecosystem | Original solution – a generic Torznab/Potato proxy |
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Prowlarr | Jackett |
|---|---|---|
| Native *arr sync | ✅ Pushes indexers directly | ❌ Manual API key per app |
| Supported indexers | 800+ | 1,000+ |
| Torznab support | ✅ | ✅ |
| Potato (Newznab) support | ✅ | ✅ |
| Built‑in search | ✅ | ✅ |
| FlareSolverr support | ✅ | ✅ |
| Indexer health monitoring | ✅ Built‑in stats | ⚠️ Basic – error logs only |
| Multi‑app sync | One config, all apps updated | Copy API keys to each app |
| UI framework | *arr‑style (consistent) | Custom web UI |
| RSS sync | ✅ | ❌ Search only |
| API | REST API with Swagger docs | REST API |
| Docker image | lscr.io/linuxserver/prowlarr | lscr.io/linuxserver/jackett |
| License | GPL‑3.0 | GPL‑2.0 |
| Active development | Very active (Servarr team) | Active (community maintained) |
Installation Complexity
Both run as single Docker containers with minimal configuration.
- Prowlarr – Slightly easier in an *arr stack: add indexers once, and Prowlarr pushes them to Sonarr, Radarr, Lidarr, and Readarr automatically. No API‑key juggling.
- Jackett – Requires you to add indexers in Jackett, copy the Torznab feed URL and API key, then paste them into each *arr app individually. With 4‑5 apps and 10+ indexers this becomes tedious.
Tip: Place the container on the same Docker network as your other *arr apps for direct communication.
Performance and Resource Usage
| Metric | Prowlarr | Jackett |
|---|---|---|
| RAM (idle) | ~100‑150 MB | ~80‑120 MB |
| RAM (searching) | ~200‑300 MB | ~150‑250 MB |
| CPU | Low | Low |
| Disk usage | ~500 MB (config + DB) | ~200 MB (config) |
| Database | SQLite (embedded) | None (file‑based config) |
Jackett is marginally lighter because it stores config in plain files, but neither app imposes a meaningful load on a typical server.
Community and Support
- Prowlarr – Benefits from the Servarr ecosystem. Documentation follows the same patterns as Sonarr/Radarr/Lidarr/Readarr. Active Discord, GitHub, and frequent updates from the core team.
- Jackett – Large, established community with extensive indexer support. Many niche trackers have Jackett definitions that haven’t been ported to Prowlarr yet. Development is community‑driven with regular releases.
Use Cases
Choose Prowlarr If…
- You run Sonarr, Radarr, or other *arr apps – native sync is the killer feature.
- You want a single place to manage all indexers across all apps.
- You prefer a consistent UI across your media stack.
- You need indexer health monitoring and search statistics.
- You’re setting up a new *arr stack from scratch.
Choose Jackett If…
- You need a specific niche tracker that Prowlarr doesn’t support yet.
- You use non‑*arr apps that support Torznab (e.g., Mylar3, CouchPotato).
- You want the lightest possible resource footprint.
- You’re already running Jackett and everything works – no need to migrate.
Migration: Jackett → Prowlarr
- Install Prowlarr alongside Jackett (don’t remove Jackett yet).
- Add your indexers in Prowlarr – most major trackers are supported.
- *Add your arr apps as “Applications” in Prowlarr’s settings.
- Prowlarr will push indexers to each app automatically.
- Remove old Jackett Torznab entries from your *arr apps.
- Once everything works, remove Jackett.
The migration is straightforward. The main risk is missing indexers – compare Prowlarr’s indexer list against your Jackett config before removing Jackett.
Final Verdict
*Prowlarr wins for arr stack users. Its native integration is a significant quality‑of‑life improvement: add an indexer once and it’s available everywhere. Indexer health monitoring catches problems before they affect your automation.
Jackett remains relevant for edge cases: niche trackers, non‑*arr applications, or existing setups that work fine. For new installations, start with Prowlarr.
FAQ
Can I run both Prowlarr and Jackett?
Yes. Some people run both – Prowlarr for native *arr integration and Jackett as a fallback for unsupported trackers. In Prowlarr you can add Jackett as a “Generic Torznab” indexer.
Does Prowlarr replace Jackett completely?
For most users, yes. Prowlarr supports 800+ indexers. Unless you need a specific niche tracker only available in Jackett, Prowlarr handles everything.
Which has better FlareSolverr integration?
Both support FlareSolverr for Cloudflare‑protected trackers. Prowlarr’s integration is slightly more polished – it shows FlareSolverr status per indexer.
All information is current as of March 2026.
## Do I still need Jackett if I only use Sonarr and Radarr?
**No.** Prowlarr is the recommended replacement. The Servarr team (the creators of Sonarr and Radarr) built Prowlarr specifically to replace Jackett for *arr* users.
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### Related
- [How to Self‑Host Prowlarr](https://dev.to/apps/prowlarr/)
- [How to Self‑Host Jackett](https://dev.to/apps/jackett/)
- [Sonarr vs Radarr](https://dev.to/compare/sonarr-vs-radarr/)
- [How to Self‑Host Sonarr](https://dev.to/apps/sonarr/)
- [How to Self‑Host Radarr](https://dev.to/apps/radarr/)
- [How to Self‑Host qBittorrent](https://dev.to/apps/qbittorrent/)
- [Best Self‑Hosted Download Management](https://dev.to/best/download-management/)