FileGator 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.
FileGator
Multi-user file manager with role-based access
VS
Spacedrive
Cross-platform file explorer powered by a virtual distributed filesystem
| Feature | FileGator | Spacedrive |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 87 · Excellent | 83 · Excellent |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | Rust |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,078 | ★ 39,022 |
| First released | 2019 | 2022 |
| Replaces | Google Drive, Dropbox | Google Drive, Dropbox |
What are FileGator and Spacedrive?
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
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
FileGator vs Spacedrive: key differences
FileGator is written in PHP, while Spacedrive is built with Rust. Licensing differs — MIT for FileGator versus AGPL-3.0 for Spacedrive. FileGator is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Spacedrive. FileGator is the more established project (first released 2019), while Spacedrive arrived in 2022. Spacedrive has the considerably larger community, at 39,022 GitHub stars versus 3,078. FileGator lists first-class Docker deployment; Spacedrive does not.
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 Spacedrive if…
- Unified multi-device view
- Modern Rust core
- Cross-platform clients
Watch out for
- Still beta quality
- Sync features incomplete
Frequently asked questions
Is FileGator or Spacedrive better?
Neither is universally better. Spacedrive has the larger community, while FileGator is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are FileGator and Spacedrive free and open-source?
Yes. FileGator is licensed under MIT and Spacedrive under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run FileGator and Spacedrive with Docker?
FileGator: yes. Spacedrive: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, FileGator or Spacedrive?
FileGator has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Spacedrive. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.