Alf.io vs EteSync DAV
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted calendar & contacts options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
| Feature | Alf.io | EteSync DAV |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Calendar & Contacts | Calendar & Contacts |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Java | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,601 | ★ 333 |
| First released | 2025 | 2018 |
| Replaces | — | iCloud Calendar |
Why pick each one
Choose Alf.io if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Active community (1.6k GitHub stars)
- Written in Java
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Choose EteSync DAV if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Written in Python
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Alf.io or EteSync DAV better?
Neither is universally better. Alf.io has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Alf.io and EteSync DAV free and open-source?
Yes. Alf.io is licensed under GPL-3.0 and EteSync DAV under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Alf.io and EteSync DAV with Docker?
Alf.io: check the project docs for container support. EteSync DAV: check the project docs for container support.