Dufs vs SFTPGo
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted file sync & storage options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
SFTPGo
Full-featured SFTP, FTP and WebDAV server
| Feature | Dufs | SFTPGo |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 86 · Excellent | 94 · Excellent |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | Apache-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Rust | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 32 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 10,778 | ★ 12,570 |
| First released | 2022 | 2019 |
| Replaces | Dropbox, Google Drive | Dropbox |
What are Dufs and SFTPGo?
Dufs
Dufs is a lightweight single-binary file server that supports static serving, uploading, searching, and WebDAV. It offers access control, resumable uploads, and a clean web UI.
- Single-binary file server
- WebDAV support
- Access control and resumable uploads
SFTPGo
SFTPGo is a configurable file transfer server supporting SFTP, FTP/S, WebDAV, and HTTP access with cloud storage backends. It suits administrators who need secure, multi-protocol file access. It is deployed via Docker or a single binary.
- SFTP, FTP, WebDAV and HTTP support
- Cloud storage backends
- Per-user quotas and rules
- Web admin and REST API
Dufs vs SFTPGo: key differences
Dufs is written in Rust, while SFTPGo is built with Go. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for Dufs versus AGPL-3.0 for SFTPGo. Dufs is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 128 MB for SFTPGo. SFTPGo is the more established project (first released 2019), while Dufs arrived in 2022.
Why pick each one
Choose Dufs if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 10.8k GitHub stars
Choose SFTPGo if…
- Multi-protocol in one binary
- Flexible storage backends
- Strong access controls
Watch out for
- No sync client
- Configuration can be complex
Frequently asked questions
Is Dufs or SFTPGo better?
Neither is universally better. SFTPGo has the larger community, while Dufs is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Dufs and SFTPGo free and open-source?
Yes. Dufs is licensed under Apache-2.0 and SFTPGo under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Dufs and SFTPGo with Docker?
Dufs: yes. SFTPGo: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Dufs or SFTPGo?
Dufs has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for SFTPGo. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.