Filebin vs Send
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 | Send |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 77 · Good | 37 · At risk |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | BSD-3-Clause | MPL-2.0 |
| Language | Go | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 282 | ★ 5,914 |
| First released | 2014 | 2020 |
| Replaces | WeTransfer, Firefox Send | WeTransfer, Firefox Send |
What are Filebin and Send?
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
Send
Send is a community-maintained fork of the discontinued Firefox Send. It provides end-to-end encrypted file sharing with links that expire after a download limit or time period.
- End-to-end encryption
- Expiring share links
- No account required
Filebin vs Send: key differences
Filebin is written in Go, while Send is built with JavaScript. Licensing differs — BSD-3-Clause for Filebin versus MPL-2.0 for Send. Filebin is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Send. Filebin is the more established project (first released 2014), while Send arrived in 2020. Send has the considerably larger community, at 5,914 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 Send if…
- Released under the MPL-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 5.9k GitHub stars
- Written in JavaScript
Frequently asked questions
Is Filebin or Send better?
Neither is universally better. Send has the larger community, while Filebin is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Filebin and Send free and open-source?
Yes. Filebin is licensed under BSD-3-Clause and Send under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Filebin and Send with Docker?
Filebin: yes. Send: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Filebin or Send?
Filebin has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Send. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.