Flying Carpet vs ShareDrop
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted file sync & storage options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Flying Carpet | ShareDrop |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 90 · Excellent | 30 · At risk |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | Rust | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | binary, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 5,322 | ★ 10,753 |
| First released | 2017 | 2014 |
| Replaces | AirDrop, Snapdrop | AirDrop, WeTransfer |
What are Flying Carpet and ShareDrop?
Flying Carpet
Flying Carpet is an open source application that transfers files directly between two computers or phones over an ad hoc wireless connection, without needing a router or internet access. It supports Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS.
- Direct device-to-device transfer
- No router or internet needed
- Encrypted file transfer
- Five-platform support
ShareDrop
ShareDrop is a browser-based peer-to-peer file sharing app using WebRTC. It lets devices on the same network exchange files directly without uploading to a server.
- WebRTC peer-to-peer transfer
- No server-side storage
- Works across local networks
Flying Carpet vs ShareDrop: key differences
Flying Carpet is written in Rust, while ShareDrop is built with JavaScript. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Flying Carpet versus MIT for ShareDrop. ShareDrop is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 128 MB for Flying Carpet. ShareDrop is the more established project (first released 2014), while Flying Carpet arrived in 2017. ShareDrop has the considerably larger community, at 10,753 GitHub stars versus 5,322. ShareDrop lists first-class Docker deployment; Flying Carpet does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Flying Carpet if…
- Works fully offline
- Cross-platform including mobile
Watch out for
- Two-device transfers only
- Setup varies by OS
Choose ShareDrop if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 10.8k GitHub stars
Frequently asked questions
Is Flying Carpet or ShareDrop better?
Neither is universally better. ShareDrop has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Flying Carpet and ShareDrop free and open-source?
Yes. Flying Carpet is licensed under GPL-3.0 and ShareDrop under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Flying Carpet and ShareDrop with Docker?
Flying Carpet: check the project docs for container support. ShareDrop: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Flying Carpet or ShareDrop?
ShareDrop has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for Flying Carpet. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.