FileGator vs ownCloud Web
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted file sync & storage options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
FileGator
Multi-user file manager with role-based access
VS
ownCloud Web
Archived
Modern web frontend for ownCloud file sharing
| Feature | FileGator | ownCloud Web |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 87 · Excellent | 15 · At risk |
| Status | Actively maintained | Archived |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,078 | ★ 567 |
| First released | 2019 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Google Drive, Dropbox | Dropbox, Google Drive |
What are FileGator and ownCloud Web?
FileGator
FileGator is a self-hosted multi-user file manager supporting various storage adapters such as local disk, FTP, and Amazon S3. It offers role-based permissions and a modern interface.
- Multiple storage adapters
- Role-based permissions
- Zip and unzip support
ownCloud Web
ownCloud Web is the modern single-page web frontend for ownCloud file storage and sharing. It provides fast file management, sharing, and collaboration in the browser.
- Modern file management UI
- File sharing
- Browser-based collaboration
- Fast single-page app
FileGator vs ownCloud Web: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: ownCloud Web's repository is archived and no longer developed, while FileGator is actively maintained. FileGator is written in PHP, while ownCloud Web is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — MIT for FileGator versus AGPL-3.0 for ownCloud Web. FileGator is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for ownCloud Web. FileGator has the considerably larger community, at 3,078 GitHub stars versus 567.
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 (3.1k GitHub stars)
Choose ownCloud Web if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in TypeScript
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is FileGator or ownCloud Web better?
FileGator is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider ownCloud Web if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are FileGator and ownCloud Web free and open-source?
Yes. FileGator is licensed under MIT and ownCloud Web under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run FileGator and ownCloud Web with Docker?
FileGator: yes. ownCloud Web: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, FileGator or ownCloud Web?
FileGator has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for ownCloud Web. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.