croc vs Gokapi
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted file sync & storage options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | croc | Gokapi |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 99 · Excellent | 84 · Excellent |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Go | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 32 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | binary | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 40,420 | ★ 2,878 |
| First released | 2018 | 2021 |
| Replaces | WeTransfer, AirDrop | WeTransfer, Firefox Send |
What are croc and Gokapi?
croc
croc is a tool that allows two computers to transfer files and folders simply and securely. It uses a relay with end-to-end encryption and a code-phrase system for pairing.
- End-to-end encrypted transfers
- Code-phrase pairing
- Self-hostable relay server
Gokapi
Gokapi is a minimalist file sharing server inspired by Firefox Send. It lets you upload files and generate download links that can expire after a set time or number of downloads.
- Expiring download links
- End-to-end encryption option
- AWS S3 storage support
croc vs Gokapi: key differences
Both projects are written in Go. Licensing differs — MIT for croc versus AGPL-3.0 for Gokapi. Croc is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 64 MB for Gokapi. Croc is the more established project (first released 2018), while Gokapi arrived in 2021. Croc has the considerably larger community, at 40,420 GitHub stars versus 2,878. Gokapi lists first-class Docker deployment; croc does not.
Why pick each one
Choose croc if…
- Simple code-phrase pairing
- End-to-end encrypted
- Resumable transfers
Watch out for
- CLI only
- Public relay by default
Choose Gokapi if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (2.9k GitHub stars)
Frequently asked questions
Is croc or Gokapi better?
Neither is universally better. croc has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are croc and Gokapi free and open-source?
Yes. croc is licensed under MIT and Gokapi under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run croc and Gokapi with Docker?
croc: check the project docs for container support. Gokapi: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, croc or Gokapi?
croc has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 64 MB for Gokapi. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.