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FileBrowser Quantum vs Tiny File Manager

A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted file sync & storage options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.

Not the right match-up?
FileBrowser Quantum Enhanced web file manager fork with extra features VS TI Tiny File Manager Single-file PHP file manager and browser
FeatureFileBrowser QuantumTiny File Manager
Deploy effortUnder-an-hour setupUnder-an-hour setup
Health score92 · Excellent69 · Good
CategoryFile Sync & StorageFile Sync & Storage
LicenseApache-2.0GPL-3.0
LanguageGoPHP
Setup difficultyEasyEasy
Min. RAM128 MB64 MB
Deploymentdocker, binarybare-metal, docker
GitHub stars★ 8,406★ 5,978
First released20242016
ReplacesGoogle Drive, DropboxGoogle Drive

What are FileBrowser Quantum and Tiny File Manager?

FileBrowser Quantum

FileBrowser Quantum is a community fork of File Browser that adds advanced search, multiple sources, and improved performance. It provides a web interface for managing files on a server.

  • Advanced indexed search
  • Multiple file sources
  • Improved performance over original

Tiny File Manager

Tiny File Manager is a web-based file manager contained in a single PHP file. It provides multi-user support, file editing, archive handling, and a clean responsive interface.

  • Single-file deployment
  • Built-in code editor
  • Multi-user access control

FileBrowser Quantum vs Tiny File Manager: key differences

FileBrowser Quantum is written in Go, while Tiny File Manager is built with PHP. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for FileBrowser Quantum versus GPL-3.0 for Tiny File Manager. Tiny File Manager is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 128 MB for FileBrowser Quantum. Tiny File Manager is the more established project (first released 2016), while FileBrowser Quantum arrived in 2024.

Why pick each one

Choose FileBrowser Quantum if…

  • Released under the Apache-2.0 license
  • Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
  • First-class Docker support for quick deployment
  • Mature project with 8.4k GitHub stars
FileBrowser Quantum details

Choose Tiny File Manager if…

  • Released under the GPL-3.0 license
  • Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
  • First-class Docker support for quick deployment
  • Mature project with 6k GitHub stars
Tiny File Manager details

Frequently asked questions

Is FileBrowser Quantum or Tiny File Manager better?

Neither is universally better. FileBrowser Quantum has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.

Are FileBrowser Quantum and Tiny File Manager free and open-source?

Yes. FileBrowser Quantum is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Tiny File Manager under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run FileBrowser Quantum and Tiny File Manager with Docker?

FileBrowser Quantum: yes. Tiny File Manager: yes.

Which is lighter on resources, FileBrowser Quantum or Tiny File Manager?

Tiny File Manager has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for FileBrowser Quantum. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.

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