Cryptomator CLI 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.
| Feature | Cryptomator CLI | gocryptfs |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 65 · Good | 80 · Excellent |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | Java | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | binary, docker | bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 429 | ★ 4,615 |
| First released | 2017 | 2016 |
| Replaces | Boxcryptor | Boxcryptor |
What are Cryptomator CLI and gocryptfs?
Cryptomator CLI
Cryptomator CLI is the command-line edition of Cryptomator, providing transparent client-side encryption of files before they reach cloud storage. It is suited to headless servers protecting synced data.
- Client-side encryption
- Headless operation
- Transparent vaults
- Cloud-agnostic
gocryptfs
gocryptfs is an encrypted overlay filesystem built on Go and FUSE that encrypts files individually so they can be synced efficiently. Each file maps to one encrypted file, making it friendly to incremental sync tools.
- Per-file encryption
- Fast random access
- Reverse mode for backups
- Audited cryptography
Cryptomator CLI vs gocryptfs: key differences
Cryptomator CLI is written in Java, while gocryptfs is built with Go. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Cryptomator CLI versus MIT for gocryptfs. Gocryptfs is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Cryptomator CLI. Gocryptfs has the considerably larger community, at 4,615 GitHub stars versus 429. Cryptomator CLI lists first-class Docker deployment; gocryptfs does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Cryptomator CLI if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Java
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Choose gocryptfs if…
- Efficient incremental sync
- Well documented
Watch out for
- Requires FUSE
- Command-line oriented
Frequently asked questions
Is Cryptomator CLI 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 Cryptomator CLI and gocryptfs free and open-source?
Yes. Cryptomator CLI is licensed under GPL-3.0 and gocryptfs under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Cryptomator CLI and gocryptfs with Docker?
Cryptomator CLI: yes. gocryptfs: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Cryptomator CLI or gocryptfs?
gocryptfs has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Cryptomator CLI. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.