Filebin vs Magic Wormhole
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 | Magic Wormhole |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 77 · Good | 96 · Excellent |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | BSD-3-Clause | MIT |
| Language | Go | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 32 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 282 | ★ 22,946 |
| First released | 2014 | 2016 |
| Replaces | WeTransfer, Firefox Send | WeTransfer, AirDrop |
What are Filebin and Magic Wormhole?
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
Magic Wormhole
Magic Wormhole is a library and CLI tool for securely transferring files and directories between computers. It uses short human-pronounceable codes and PAKE encryption for safe transfers.
- PAKE-based encryption
- Human-readable transfer codes
- Self-hostable relay and mailbox
Filebin vs Magic Wormhole: key differences
Filebin is written in Go, while Magic Wormhole is built with Python. Licensing differs — BSD-3-Clause for Filebin versus MIT for Magic Wormhole. Magic Wormhole is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 128 MB for Filebin. Filebin is the more established project (first released 2014), while Magic Wormhole arrived in 2016. Magic Wormhole has the considerably larger community, at 22,946 GitHub stars versus 282. Filebin lists first-class Docker deployment; Magic Wormhole does not.
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 Magic Wormhole if…
- Dead-simple pairing codes
- End-to-end encrypted
- No account needed
Watch out for
- Terminal-based workflow
- Both ends online simultaneously
Frequently asked questions
Is Filebin or Magic Wormhole better?
Neither is universally better. Magic Wormhole has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Filebin and Magic Wormhole free and open-source?
Yes. Filebin is licensed under BSD-3-Clause and Magic Wormhole under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Filebin and Magic Wormhole with Docker?
Filebin: yes. Magic Wormhole: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Filebin or Magic Wormhole?
Magic Wormhole has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for Filebin. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.