File Browser 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?
FeatureFile BrowserTiny File Manager
CategoryFile Sync & StorageFile Sync & Storage
LicenseApache-2.0GPL-3.0
LanguageGoPHP
Setup difficultyEasyEasy
Min. RAM64 MB64 MB
Deploymentdocker, binarybare-metal, docker
GitHub stars★ 35,800★ 5,959
First released20172016
ReplacesDropboxGoogle Drive

Why pick each one

Choose File Browser if…

  • Extremely lightweight
  • Trivial to deploy
  • Good for quick file access
File Browser 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 File Browser or Tiny File Manager better?

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

Are File Browser and Tiny File Manager free and open-source?

Yes. File Browser 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 File Browser and Tiny File Manager with Docker?

File Browser: yes. Tiny File Manager: yes.

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