SHSelfHostIndex

File Browser vs Unison

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 UN Unison Bidirectional file synchronizer with conflict detection
FeatureFile BrowserUnison
Deploy effortUnder-an-hour setupRead-the-docs project
Health score15 · At risk88 · Excellent
StatusArchivedActively maintained
CategoryFile Sync & StorageFile Sync & Storage
LicenseApache-2.0GPL-3.0
LanguageGoOCaml
Setup difficultyEasyMedium
Min. RAM64 MB64 MB
Deploymentdocker, binarybare-metal, binary
GitHub stars★ 35,937★ 5,493
First released20171999
ReplacesDropboxDropbox

What are File Browser and Unison?

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 →

Unison

Unison is a mature bidirectional file synchronization tool that reconciles changes made independently on two replicas. It detects conflicts, preserves both versions, and works over SSH for secure remote syncing.

  • True bidirectional sync
  • Conflict detection
  • Works over SSH
  • Cross-platform replicas

Read the full Unison guide →

File Browser vs Unison: key differences

The biggest difference is maintenance: File Browser's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Unison is actively maintained. File Browser is written in Go, while Unison is built with OCaml. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for File Browser versus GPL-3.0 for Unison. Unison is the more established project (first released 1999), while File Browser arrived in 2017. File Browser has the considerably larger community, at 35,937 GitHub stars versus 5,493. File Browser lists first-class Docker deployment; Unison 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 Unison if…

  • Very reliable
  • Fine-grained control

Watch out for

  • Dated GTK interface
  • Version matching between hosts
Unison details

Frequently asked questions

Is File Browser or Unison better?

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

Are File Browser and Unison free and open-source?

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

Can I run File Browser and Unison with Docker?

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

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