ByteStash vs PrivateBin
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted pastebins & snippets options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
ByteStash
Pastebin and file storage service with a simple web interface
VS
PrivateBin
Minimalist pastebin with zero-knowledge encryption
| Feature | ByteStash | PrivateBin |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Pastebins & Snippets | Pastebins & Snippets |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Zlib |
| Language | TypeScript | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,514 | ★ 8,509 |
| First released | 2026 | 2012 |
| Replaces | — | Pastebin.com |
Why pick each one
Choose ByteStash if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (2.5k GitHub stars)
- Written in TypeScript
Choose PrivateBin if…
- Released under the Zlib license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 8.5k GitHub stars
Frequently asked questions
Is ByteStash or PrivateBin better?
PrivateBin is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider ByteStash if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are ByteStash and PrivateBin free and open-source?
Yes. ByteStash is licensed under GPL-3.0 and PrivateBin under Zlib. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run ByteStash and PrivateBin with Docker?
ByteStash: yes. PrivateBin: yes.