File Browser vs Pydio Cells

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 BrowserPydio Cells
CategoryFile Sync & StorageFile Sync & Storage
LicenseApache-2.0AGPL-3.0
LanguageGoGo
Setup difficultyEasyMedium
Min. RAM64 MB512 MB
Deploymentdocker, binarydocker, binary
GitHub stars★ 35,800★ 2,241
First released20172018
ReplacesDropboxDropbox, Box, Google Drive

Why pick each one

Choose File Browser if…

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

Choose Pydio Cells if…

  • Strong enterprise features
  • Modern Go codebase
  • Good access governance
Pydio Cells details

Frequently asked questions

Is File Browser or Pydio Cells better?

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

Are File Browser and Pydio Cells free and open-source?

Yes. File Browser is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Pydio Cells under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run File Browser and Pydio Cells with Docker?

File Browser: yes. Pydio Cells: yes.

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