FileGator vs h5ai
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?
FileGator
Multi-user file manager with role-based access
VS
h5ai
Modern HTTP web server index for browsing files
| Feature | FileGator | h5ai |
|---|---|---|
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | PHP | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,048 | ★ 6,052 |
| First released | 2019 | 2012 |
| Replaces | Google Drive, Dropbox | Google Drive |
Why pick each one
Choose FileGator if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (3k GitHub stars)
Choose h5ai if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Mature project with 6.1k GitHub stars
- Written in JavaScript
Frequently asked questions
Is FileGator or h5ai better?
Neither is universally better. h5ai has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are FileGator and h5ai free and open-source?
Yes. FileGator is licensed under MIT and h5ai under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run FileGator and h5ai with Docker?
FileGator: yes. h5ai: check the project docs for container support.