FileGator vs elFinder
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
elFinder
Web file manager with a desktop-style interface
| Feature | FileGator | elFinder |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 87 · Excellent | 87 · Excellent |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | MIT | BSD-3-Clause |
| Language | PHP | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,078 | ★ 4,804 |
| First released | 2019 | 2010 |
| Replaces | Google Drive, Dropbox | Google Drive, Dropbox |
What are FileGator and elFinder?
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
elFinder
elFinder is an open-source web file manager with a user interface inspired by the macOS Finder. It supports multiple storage backends, drag and drop, and image editing.
- macOS Finder-style UI
- Multiple storage backends
- Built-in image editor
FileGator vs elFinder: key differences
FileGator is written in PHP, while elFinder is built with JavaScript. Licensing differs — MIT for FileGator versus BSD-3-Clause for elFinder. ElFinder is the more established project (first released 2010), while FileGator arrived in 2019. FileGator lists first-class Docker deployment; elFinder 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 elFinder if…
- Released under the BSD-3-Clause license
- Active community (4.8k GitHub stars)
- Written in JavaScript
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is FileGator or elFinder better?
Neither is universally better. elFinder 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 elFinder free and open-source?
Yes. FileGator is licensed under MIT and elFinder under BSD-3-Clause. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run FileGator and elFinder with Docker?
FileGator: yes. elFinder: check the project docs for container support.