Floccus vs Servas
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted bookmarks & read-it-later options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Floccus | Servas |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 92 · Excellent | 67 · Good |
| Category | Bookmarks & Read-It-Later | Bookmarks & Read-It-Later |
| License | MPL-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Svelte |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | source | docker, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 8,488 | ★ 831 |
| First released | 2015 | 2022 |
| Replaces | Raindrop.io, Chrome Sync | Raindrop.io, Pinboard |
What are Floccus and Servas?
Floccus
Floccus is a browser extension that syncs your bookmarks across browsers via Nextcloud, a WebDAV server, a Git repository, or a local file. It keeps bookmarks consistent everywhere.
- Sync via Nextcloud or WebDAV
- Cross-browser support
- Optional client-side encryption
Servas
Servas is a self-hosted application for managing bookmarks alongside notes and tags. Built with Laravel and Livewire, it lets you group links and attach contextual notes for personal knowledge management.
- Bookmarks with attached notes
- Tag and group organization
- Built with Laravel and Livewire
- Self-hosted single instance
Floccus vs Servas: key differences
Floccus is written in TypeScript, while Servas is built with Svelte. Licensing differs — MPL-2.0 for Floccus versus AGPL-3.0 for Servas. Floccus is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Servas. Floccus is the more established project (first released 2015), while Servas arrived in 2022. Floccus has the considerably larger community, at 8,488 GitHub stars versus 831. Servas lists first-class Docker deployment; Floccus does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Floccus if…
- Released under the MPL-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Mature project with 8.5k GitHub stars
- Written in TypeScript
Choose Servas if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Svelte
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Floccus or Servas better?
Floccus is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Servas if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Floccus and Servas free and open-source?
Yes. Floccus is licensed under MPL-2.0 and Servas under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Floccus and Servas with Docker?
Floccus: check the project docs for container support. Servas: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Floccus or Servas?
Floccus has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Servas. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.