Cryptomator Hub 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 Hub | gocryptfs |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 71 · Good | 80 · Excellent |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | Java | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes | bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 80 | ★ 4,615 |
| First released | 2022 | 2016 |
| Replaces | Boxcryptor | Boxcryptor |
What are Cryptomator Hub and gocryptfs?
Cryptomator Hub
Cryptomator Hub provides centralized key management for teams using Cryptomator client-side encryption on cloud storage. It allows organizations to encrypt files in any cloud while managing access.
- Centralized encryption key management
- Works with any cloud storage
- Team access control
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 Hub vs gocryptfs: key differences
Cryptomator Hub is written in Java, while gocryptfs is built with Go. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Cryptomator Hub versus MIT for gocryptfs. Gocryptfs is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Cryptomator Hub. Gocryptfs is the more established project (first released 2016), while Cryptomator Hub arrived in 2022. Gocryptfs has the considerably larger community, at 4,615 GitHub stars versus 80. Cryptomator Hub lists first-class Docker deployment; gocryptfs does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Cryptomator Hub if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
- Written in Java
Choose gocryptfs if…
- Efficient incremental sync
- Well documented
Watch out for
- Requires FUSE
- Command-line oriented
Frequently asked questions
Is Cryptomator Hub 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 Hub and gocryptfs free and open-source?
Yes. Cryptomator Hub is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and gocryptfs under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Cryptomator Hub and gocryptfs with Docker?
Cryptomator Hub: yes. gocryptfs: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Cryptomator Hub or gocryptfs?
gocryptfs has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Cryptomator Hub. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.