Filebin vs Pingvin Share
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted file sync & storage options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Pingvin Share
Archived
Self-hosted file sharing alternative to WeTransfer
| Feature | Filebin | Pingvin Share |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 77 · Good | 15 · At risk |
| Status | Actively maintained | Archived |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | BSD-3-Clause | BSD-2-Clause |
| Language | Go | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 282 | ★ 4,668 |
| First released | 2014 | 2022 |
| Replaces | WeTransfer, Firefox Send | WeTransfer, Firefox Send |
What are Filebin and Pingvin Share?
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
Pingvin Share
Pingvin Share is a self-hosted file sharing platform with a clean interface, designed as an alternative to WeTransfer and Firefox Send. It supports expiring shares and password protection.
- Expiring share links
- OAuth and LDAP login
- Password-protected shares
Filebin vs Pingvin Share: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Pingvin Share's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Filebin is actively maintained. Filebin is written in Go, while Pingvin Share is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — BSD-3-Clause for Filebin versus BSD-2-Clause for Pingvin Share. Filebin is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Pingvin Share. Filebin is the more established project (first released 2014), while Pingvin Share arrived in 2022. Pingvin Share has the considerably larger community, at 4,668 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 Pingvin Share if…
- Released under the BSD-2-Clause license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (4.7k GitHub stars)
Frequently asked questions
Is Filebin or Pingvin Share better?
Neither is universally better. Pingvin Share has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Filebin and Pingvin Share free and open-source?
Yes. Filebin is licensed under BSD-3-Clause and Pingvin Share under BSD-2-Clause. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Filebin and Pingvin Share with Docker?
Filebin: yes. Pingvin Share: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Filebin or Pingvin Share?
Filebin has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Pingvin Share. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.