0bin vs wastebin
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted pastebins & snippets options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
wastebin
Minimal pastebin server written in Rust
| Feature | 0bin | wastebin |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 29 · At risk | 82 · Excellent |
| Category | Pastebins & Snippets | Pastebins & Snippets |
| License | WTFPL | MIT |
| 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 | ★ 860 |
| First released | 2012 | 2022 |
| Replaces | Pastebin.com | Pastebin.com |
What are 0bin and wastebin?
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
wastebin
wastebin is a minimal, fast pastebin service backed by SQLite and written in Rust. It offers syntax highlighting, paste expiration, optional encryption, and a tiny resource footprint.
- Tiny resource usage
- SQLite storage
- Syntax highlighting
- Paste expiry and encryption
0bin vs wastebin: key differences
0bin is written in JavaScript, while wastebin is built with Rust. Licensing differs — WTFPL for 0bin versus MIT for wastebin. Wastebin 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 wastebin arrived in 2022.
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 wastebin if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Rust
Frequently asked questions
Is 0bin or wastebin better?
Neither is universally better. 0bin has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are 0bin and wastebin free and open-source?
Yes. 0bin is licensed under WTFPL and wastebin under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run 0bin and wastebin with Docker?
0bin: yes. wastebin: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, 0bin or wastebin?
wastebin 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.