Filebin vs Gokapi
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted file sync & storage options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Filebin | Gokapi |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 77 · Good | 84 · Excellent |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | BSD-3-Clause | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Go | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 282 | ★ 2,881 |
| First released | 2014 | 2021 |
| Replaces | WeTransfer, Firefox Send | WeTransfer, Firefox Send |
What are Filebin and Gokapi?
Filebin
Filebin is a self-hosted file-sharing service where users drop files into shareable bins that expire automatically. It requires no registration and is convenient for quick transfers.
- Auto-expiring bins
- No registration
- Drag-and-drop upload
- Simple deployment
Gokapi
Gokapi is a minimalist file sharing server inspired by Firefox Send. It lets you upload files and generate download links that can expire after a set time or number of downloads.
- Expiring download links
- End-to-end encryption option
- AWS S3 storage support
Filebin vs Gokapi: key differences
Both projects are written in Go. Licensing differs — BSD-3-Clause for Filebin versus AGPL-3.0 for Gokapi. Gokapi is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 128 MB for Filebin. Filebin is the more established project (first released 2014), while Gokapi arrived in 2021. Gokapi has the considerably larger community, at 2,881 GitHub stars versus 282.
Why pick each one
Choose Filebin if…
- Released under the BSD-3-Clause license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Go
Choose Gokapi if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (2.9k GitHub stars)
Frequently asked questions
Is Filebin or Gokapi better?
Neither is universally better. Gokapi has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Filebin and Gokapi free and open-source?
Yes. Filebin is licensed under BSD-3-Clause and Gokapi under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Filebin and Gokapi with Docker?
Filebin: yes. Gokapi: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Filebin or Gokapi?
Gokapi has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for Filebin. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.