Cloudreve vs FileGator
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
FileGator
Multi-user file manager with role-based access
| Feature | Cloudreve | FileGator |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 97 · Excellent | 87 · Excellent |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | Go | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 28,751 | ★ 3,078 |
| First released | None | 2019 |
| Replaces | Google Drive | Google Drive, Dropbox |
What are Cloudreve and FileGator?
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
FileGator
FileGator is a self-hosted multi-user file manager supporting various storage adapters such as local disk, FTP, and Amazon S3. It offers role-based permissions and a modern interface.
- Multiple storage adapters
- Role-based permissions
- Zip and unzip support
Cloudreve vs FileGator: key differences
Cloudreve is written in Go, while FileGator is built with PHP. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Cloudreve versus MIT for FileGator. FileGator is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Cloudreve. Cloudreve has the considerably larger community, at 28,751 GitHub stars versus 3,078.
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 FileGator if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (3.1k GitHub stars)
Frequently asked questions
Is Cloudreve or FileGator better?
Neither is universally better. Cloudreve has the larger community, while FileGator is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Cloudreve and FileGator free and open-source?
Yes. Cloudreve is licensed under GPL-3.0 and FileGator under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Cloudreve and FileGator with Docker?
Cloudreve: yes. FileGator: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Cloudreve or FileGator?
FileGator has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Cloudreve. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.