Cloudreve vs CryptPad
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted file sync & storage options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Cloudreve
File management and sharing system, supports multiple storage
VS
CryptPad
End-to-end encrypted collaboration suite
| Feature | Cloudreve | CryptPad |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 97 · Excellent | 91 · Excellent |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Go | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 28,751 | ★ 7,953 |
| First released | None | 2015 |
| Replaces | Google Drive | Google Drive, Microsoft 365 |
What are Cloudreve and CryptPad?
Cloudreve
Cloudreve is a file management and sharing system with a polished web UI that supports local, S3, OneDrive and other storage backends. It targets users who want a personal cloud drive with sharing links. It is deployed via a single Go binary or Docker.
- Multiple storage backends
- Shareable links with passwords
- WebDAV access
- Multi-user with quotas
CryptPad
CryptPad is an end-to-end encrypted collaboration suite with documents, spreadsheets, and a personal drive, where the server cannot read user data. It suits privacy-focused individuals and teams. It is deployed via Docker or a Node.js installation.
- Zero-knowledge end-to-end encryption
- Real-time collaborative editing
- Documents, sheets and forms
- Personal encrypted drive
Cloudreve vs CryptPad: key differences
Cloudreve is written in Go, while CryptPad is built with JavaScript. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Cloudreve versus AGPL-3.0 for CryptPad. Cloudreve has the considerably larger community, at 28,751 GitHub stars versus 7,953.
Why pick each one
Choose Cloudreve if…
- Multiple storage backends
- Single Go binary
- Polished web interface
Watch out for
- Docs partly in Chinese
- Some features Pro-only
Choose CryptPad if…
- Strong privacy guarantees
- Real-time collaboration
- No account needed to start
Watch out for
- Encryption limits server-side search
- Heavier client than plain editors
Frequently asked questions
Is Cloudreve or CryptPad better?
Neither is universally better. Cloudreve has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Cloudreve and CryptPad free and open-source?
Yes. Cloudreve is licensed under GPL-3.0 and CryptPad under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Cloudreve and CryptPad with Docker?
Cloudreve: yes. CryptPad: yes.