croc vs PicoShare
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted file sync & storage options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
PicoShare
Minimalist file sharing for permanent direct links
| Feature | croc | PicoShare |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 99 · Excellent | 86 · 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 | ★ 40,431 | ★ 3,039 |
| First released | 2018 | 2021 |
| Replaces | WeTransfer, AirDrop | Dropbox, WeTransfer |
What are croc and PicoShare?
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
PicoShare
PicoShare is a minimal file-sharing app that makes it easy to share files with simple, permanent URLs. It is designed to be a single-binary deployment with no external dependencies.
- Permanent shareable links
- SQLite-backed storage
- Single-binary deployment
croc vs PicoShare: key differences
Both projects are written in Go. Licensing differs — MIT for croc versus AGPL-3.0 for PicoShare. Croc is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 64 MB for PicoShare. Croc is the more established project (first released 2018), while PicoShare arrived in 2021. Croc has the considerably larger community, at 40,431 GitHub stars versus 3,039. PicoShare 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 PicoShare if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (3k GitHub stars)
Frequently asked questions
Is croc or PicoShare 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 PicoShare free and open-source?
Yes. croc is licensed under MIT and PicoShare under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run croc and PicoShare with Docker?
croc: check the project docs for container support. PicoShare: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, croc or PicoShare?
croc has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 64 MB for PicoShare. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.