File Browser vs Plik

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?
FeatureFile BrowserPlik
CategoryFile Sync & StorageFile Sync & Storage
LicenseApache-2.0MIT
LanguageGoGo
Setup difficultyEasyMedium
Min. RAM64 MB50 MB
Deploymentdocker, binarybare-metal
GitHub stars★ 35,800★ 1,810
First released20172026
ReplacesDropboxWeTransfer

Why pick each one

Choose File Browser if…

  • Extremely lightweight
  • Trivial to deploy
  • Good for quick file access
File Browser details

Choose Plik if…

  • Released under the MIT license
  • Active community (1.8k GitHub stars)
  • Written in Go
  • Tiny footprint — runs in 50 MB RAM
Plik details

Frequently asked questions

Is File Browser or Plik better?

File Browser is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Plik if its specific feature set fits your needs better.

Are File Browser and Plik free and open-source?

Yes. File Browser is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Plik under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run File Browser and Plik with Docker?

File Browser: yes. Plik: check the project docs for container support.

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