0bin vs MicroBin
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted pastebins & snippets options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
MicroBin
Tiny, feature-rich pastebin and file-sharing service
| Feature | 0bin | MicroBin |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 29 · At risk | 84 · Excellent |
| Category | Pastebins & Snippets | Pastebins & Snippets |
| License | WTFPL | BSD-3-Clause |
| Language | JavaScript | Rust |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, binary, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,402 | ★ 4,563 |
| First released | 2012 | 2022 |
| Replaces | Pastebin.com | Pastebin.com |
What are 0bin and MicroBin?
0bin
0bin is a client-side encrypted pastebin that the server operator cannot read. It encrypts pastes in the browser and offers expiration and burn-after-reading without requiring registration.
- Client-side encryption
- No accounts required
- Burn after reading
- Expiration options
MicroBin
MicroBin is a super tiny, configurable, self-contained pastebin and URL shortener written in Rust. Despite its small size it supports file uploads, encryption, QR codes, and expiring pastes.
- Single small binary
- File uploads and URL shortening
- Optional encryption
- QR code generation
0bin vs MicroBin: key differences
0bin is written in JavaScript, while MicroBin is built with Rust. Licensing differs — WTFPL for 0bin versus BSD-3-Clause for MicroBin. MicroBin is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for 0bin. 0bin is the more established project (first released 2012), while MicroBin arrived in 2022. MicroBin has the considerably larger community, at 4,563 GitHub stars versus 1,402.
Why pick each one
Choose 0bin if…
- Released under the WTFPL license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (1.4k GitHub stars)
Choose MicroBin if…
- Released under the BSD-3-Clause license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (4.6k GitHub stars)
Frequently asked questions
Is 0bin or MicroBin better?
Neither is universally better. MicroBin has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are 0bin and MicroBin free and open-source?
Yes. 0bin is licensed under WTFPL and MicroBin under BSD-3-Clause. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run 0bin and MicroBin with Docker?
0bin: yes. MicroBin: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, 0bin or MicroBin?
MicroBin has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for 0bin. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.