Cloudreve vs Syncthing-Fork
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
Syncthing-Fork
Android client wrapper for continuous Syncthing file synchronization
| Feature | Cloudreve | Syncthing-Fork |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 97 · Excellent | 87 · Excellent |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MPL-2.0 |
| Language | Go | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker | bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 28,741 | ★ 2,881 |
| First released | None | 2017 |
| Replaces | Google Drive | Dropbox, Google Drive |
What are Cloudreve and Syncthing-Fork?
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
Syncthing-Fork
Syncthing-Fork is a maintained Android wrapper around the Syncthing core that provides a polished mobile experience for continuous, peer-to-peer file synchronization. It adds battery-aware scheduling and per-folder controls on top of the Syncthing engine.
- Battery-aware sync scheduling
- Per-folder run conditions
- Wi-Fi and charging triggers
- Open peer-to-peer protocol
Cloudreve vs Syncthing-Fork: key differences
Cloudreve is written in Go, while Syncthing-Fork is built with Java. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Cloudreve versus MPL-2.0 for Syncthing-Fork. Syncthing-Fork is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Cloudreve. Cloudreve has the considerably larger community, at 28,741 GitHub stars versus 2,881. Cloudreve lists first-class Docker deployment; Syncthing-Fork does not.
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 Syncthing-Fork if…
- Actively maintained
- No central server needed
Watch out for
- Android only
- Initial setup can be fiddly
Frequently asked questions
Is Cloudreve or Syncthing-Fork better?
Neither is universally better. Cloudreve has the larger community, while Syncthing-Fork is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Cloudreve and Syncthing-Fork free and open-source?
Yes. Cloudreve is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Syncthing-Fork under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Cloudreve and Syncthing-Fork with Docker?
Cloudreve: yes. Syncthing-Fork: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Cloudreve or Syncthing-Fork?
Syncthing-Fork 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.