copyparty vs Spacedrive
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted file sync & storage options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
copyparty
Portable file server with accelerated resumable uploads
VS
Spacedrive
Cross-platform file explorer powered by a virtual distributed filesystem
| Feature | copyparty | Spacedrive |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 100 · Excellent | 83 · Excellent |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | Rust |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 46,774 | ★ 39,022 |
| First released | 2019 | 2022 |
| Replaces | Dropbox, Google Drive | Google Drive, Dropbox |
What are copyparty and Spacedrive?
copyparty
copyparty is a portable file server with features including resumable uploads, deduplication, WebDAV, FTP, and media indexing. It runs from a single Python file with no dependencies.
- Accelerated resumable uploads
- WebDAV, FTP, and TFTP support
- Single-file Python deployment
Spacedrive
Spacedrive is an open-source, cross-platform file manager written in Rust, built around a virtual distributed filesystem (VDFS). It indexes and organizes files across multiple devices and storage locations from a single native app.
- Virtual distributed filesystem
- Indexes files across devices
- Cross-platform native app
copyparty vs Spacedrive: key differences
Copyparty is written in Python, while Spacedrive is built with Rust. Licensing differs — MIT for copyparty versus AGPL-3.0 for Spacedrive. Copyparty is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Spacedrive. Copyparty is the more established project (first released 2019), while Spacedrive arrived in 2022. Copyparty lists first-class Docker deployment; Spacedrive does not.
Why pick each one
Choose copyparty if…
- Single-file deployment
- Fast resumable uploads
- WebDAV and FTP built in
Watch out for
- Unconventional interface
- Many flags to learn
Choose Spacedrive if…
- Unified multi-device view
- Modern Rust core
- Cross-platform clients
Watch out for
- Still beta quality
- Sync features incomplete
Frequently asked questions
Is copyparty or Spacedrive better?
copyparty is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Spacedrive if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are copyparty and Spacedrive free and open-source?
Yes. copyparty is licensed under MIT and Spacedrive under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run copyparty and Spacedrive with Docker?
copyparty: yes. Spacedrive: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, copyparty or Spacedrive?
copyparty has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Spacedrive. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.