CryptPad vs FileGator
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted file sync & storage options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
CryptPad
End-to-end encrypted collaboration suite
VS
FileGator
Multi-user file manager with role-based access
| Feature | CryptPad | FileGator |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 91 · Excellent | 87 · Excellent |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | JavaScript | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 7,953 | ★ 3,078 |
| First released | 2015 | 2019 |
| Replaces | Google Drive, Microsoft 365 | Google Drive, Dropbox |
What are CryptPad and FileGator?
CryptPad
CryptPad is an end-to-end encrypted collaboration suite with documents, spreadsheets, and a personal drive, where the server cannot read user data. It suits privacy-focused individuals and teams. It is deployed via Docker or a Node.js installation.
- Zero-knowledge end-to-end encryption
- Real-time collaborative editing
- Documents, sheets and forms
- Personal encrypted drive
FileGator
FileGator is a self-hosted multi-user file manager supporting various storage adapters such as local disk, FTP, and Amazon S3. It offers role-based permissions and a modern interface.
- Multiple storage adapters
- Role-based permissions
- Zip and unzip support
CryptPad vs FileGator: key differences
CryptPad is written in JavaScript, while FileGator is built with PHP. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for CryptPad versus MIT for FileGator. FileGator is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for CryptPad. CryptPad is the more established project (first released 2015), while FileGator arrived in 2019. CryptPad has the considerably larger community, at 7,953 GitHub stars versus 3,078.
Why pick each one
Choose CryptPad if…
- Strong privacy guarantees
- Real-time collaboration
- No account needed to start
Watch out for
- Encryption limits server-side search
- Heavier client than plain editors
Choose FileGator if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (3.1k GitHub stars)
Frequently asked questions
Is CryptPad or FileGator better?
Neither is universally better. CryptPad has the larger community, while FileGator is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are CryptPad and FileGator free and open-source?
Yes. CryptPad is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and FileGator under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run CryptPad and FileGator with Docker?
CryptPad: yes. FileGator: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, CryptPad or FileGator?
FileGator has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for CryptPad. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.