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.
Not the right match-up?
CryptPad
End-to-end encrypted collaboration suite
VS
FileGator
Multi-user file manager with role-based access
| Feature | CryptPad | FileGator |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | ★ 7,832 | ★ 3,048 |
| First released | 2015 | 2019 |
| Replaces | Google Drive, Microsoft 365 | Google Drive, Dropbox |
Why pick each one
Choose CryptPad if…
- Strong privacy guarantees
- Real-time collaboration
- No account needed to start
Choose FileGator if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (3k 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.