croc vs Send
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 | Send |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 99 · Excellent | 37 · At risk |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | MIT | MPL-2.0 |
| Language | Go | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 32 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | binary | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 40,431 | ★ 5,914 |
| First released | 2018 | 2020 |
| Replaces | WeTransfer, AirDrop | WeTransfer, Firefox Send |
What are croc and Send?
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
Send
Send is a community-maintained fork of the discontinued Firefox Send. It provides end-to-end encrypted file sharing with links that expire after a download limit or time period.
- End-to-end encryption
- Expiring share links
- No account required
croc vs Send: key differences
Croc is written in Go, while Send is built with JavaScript. Licensing differs — MIT for croc versus MPL-2.0 for Send. Croc is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Send. Croc is the more established project (first released 2018), while Send arrived in 2020. Croc has the considerably larger community, at 40,431 GitHub stars versus 5,914. Send 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 Send if…
- Released under the MPL-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 5.9k GitHub stars
- Written in JavaScript
Frequently asked questions
Is croc or Send better?
croc is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Send if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are croc and Send free and open-source?
Yes. croc is licensed under MIT and Send under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run croc and Send with Docker?
croc: check the project docs for container support. Send: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, croc or Send?
croc has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Send. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.