0bin vs Ghostbin
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted pastebins & snippets options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | 0bin | Ghostbin |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 29 · At risk | 7 · At risk |
| Status | Actively maintained | Archived |
| Category | Pastebins & Snippets | Pastebins & Snippets |
| License | WTFPL | MIT |
| Language | JavaScript | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,402 | ★ 188 |
| First released | 2012 | 2014 |
| Replaces | Pastebin.com | Pastebin.com, GitHub Gist |
What are 0bin and Ghostbin?
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
Ghostbin
Ghostbin, whose engine is now called spectre, is a feature-rich, self-hosted pastebin offering syntax highlighting, paste expiration, and optional encryption. It is the open-source software that powered the public Ghostbin service.
- Syntax highlighting
- Optional encryption
- Paste expiration
- Self-hosted control
0bin vs Ghostbin: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Ghostbin's repository is archived and no longer developed, while 0bin is actively maintained. Both projects are written in JavaScript. Licensing differs — WTFPL for 0bin versus MIT for Ghostbin. Ghostbin 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 Ghostbin arrived in 2014. 0bin has the considerably larger community, at 1,402 GitHub stars versus 188.
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 Ghostbin if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in JavaScript
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is 0bin or Ghostbin better?
0bin is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Ghostbin if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are 0bin and Ghostbin free and open-source?
Yes. 0bin is licensed under WTFPL and Ghostbin under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run 0bin and Ghostbin with Docker?
0bin: yes. Ghostbin: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, 0bin or Ghostbin?
Ghostbin 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.