croc vs Magic Wormhole
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 | Magic Wormhole |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 99 · Excellent | 96 · Excellent |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | Go | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 32 MB | 32 MB |
| Deployment | binary | binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 40,431 | ★ 22,946 |
| First released | 2018 | 2016 |
| Replaces | WeTransfer, AirDrop | WeTransfer, AirDrop |
What are croc and Magic Wormhole?
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
Magic Wormhole
Magic Wormhole is a library and CLI tool for securely transferring files and directories between computers. It uses short human-pronounceable codes and PAKE encryption for safe transfers.
- PAKE-based encryption
- Human-readable transfer codes
- Self-hostable relay and mailbox
croc vs Magic Wormhole: key differences
Croc is written in Go, while Magic Wormhole is built with Python. Magic Wormhole is the more established project (first released 2016), while croc arrived in 2018.
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 Magic Wormhole if…
- Dead-simple pairing codes
- End-to-end encrypted
- No account needed
Watch out for
- Terminal-based workflow
- Both ends online simultaneously
Frequently asked questions
Is croc or Magic Wormhole 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 Magic Wormhole free and open-source?
Yes. croc is licensed under MIT and Magic Wormhole under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run croc and Magic Wormhole with Docker?
croc: check the project docs for container support. Magic Wormhole: check the project docs for container support.