SHSelfHostIndex

File Browser vs Spacedrive

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?
File Browser Archived Lightweight web file manager for a directory VS SP Spacedrive Cross-platform file explorer powered by a virtual distributed filesystem
FeatureFile BrowserSpacedrive
Deploy effortUnder-an-hour setupRead-the-docs project
Health score15 · At risk83 · Excellent
StatusArchivedActively maintained
CategoryFile Sync & StorageFile Sync & Storage
LicenseApache-2.0AGPL-3.0
LanguageGoRust
Setup difficultyEasyMedium
Min. RAM64 MB512 MB
Deploymentdocker, binarybinary
GitHub stars★ 35,937★ 39,022
First released20172022
ReplacesDropboxGoogle Drive, Dropbox

What are File Browser and Spacedrive?

File Browser

File Browser provides a clean web interface to manage files within a specified directory, supporting upload, download, sharing, and user accounts. It suits users who want simple browser-based access to a folder rather than a full sync platform. It ships as a single Go binary and a small Docker image.

  • Single-binary web file manager
  • User accounts and share links
  • Built-in editor and previews
  • Minimal resource usage

Read the full File Browser guide →

Spacedrive

Spacedrive is an open-source, cross-platform file manager written in Rust, built around a virtual distributed filesystem (VDFS). It indexes and organizes files across multiple devices and storage locations from a single native app.

  • Virtual distributed filesystem
  • Indexes files across devices
  • Cross-platform native app

Read the full Spacedrive guide →

File Browser vs Spacedrive: key differences

The biggest difference is maintenance: File Browser's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Spacedrive is actively maintained. File Browser is written in Go, while Spacedrive is built with Rust. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for File Browser versus AGPL-3.0 for Spacedrive. File Browser is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Spacedrive. File Browser is the more established project (first released 2017), while Spacedrive arrived in 2022. File Browser lists first-class Docker deployment; Spacedrive does not.

Why pick each one

Choose File Browser if…

  • Extremely lightweight
  • Trivial to deploy
  • Good for quick file access

Watch out for

  • No sync client
  • Limited collaboration features
File Browser details

Choose Spacedrive if…

  • Unified multi-device view
  • Modern Rust core
  • Cross-platform clients

Watch out for

  • Still beta quality
  • Sync features incomplete
Spacedrive details

Frequently asked questions

Is File Browser or Spacedrive better?

Neither is universally better. Spacedrive has the larger community, while File Browser is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.

Are File Browser and Spacedrive free and open-source?

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

Can I run File Browser and Spacedrive with Docker?

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

Which is lighter on resources, File Browser or Spacedrive?

File Browser has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Spacedrive. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.

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