CryFS vs gocryptfs
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted file sync & storage options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
CryFS
Encrypted filesystem for safely storing files in the cloud
VS
gocryptfs
Fast encrypted overlay filesystem for cloud-synced folders
| Feature | CryFS | gocryptfs |
|---|---|---|
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | LGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | Rust | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, binary | bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,297 | ★ 4,549 |
| First released | 2015 | 2016 |
| Replaces | Boxcryptor | Boxcryptor |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is CryFS or gocryptfs better?
Neither is universally better. gocryptfs has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are CryFS and gocryptfs free and open-source?
Yes. CryFS is licensed under LGPL-3.0 and gocryptfs under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run CryFS and gocryptfs with Docker?
CryFS: check the project docs for container support. gocryptfs: check the project docs for container support.