Gokapi vs Linx
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted file sync & storage options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Gokapi | Linx |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 84 · Excellent | 18 · At risk |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Go | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,881 | ★ 1,582 |
| First released | 2021 | 2015 |
| Replaces | WeTransfer, Firefox Send | WeTransfer, Imgur |
What are Gokapi and Linx?
Gokapi
Gokapi is a minimalist file sharing server inspired by Firefox Send. It lets you upload files and generate download links that can expire after a set time or number of downloads.
- Expiring download links
- End-to-end encryption option
- AWS S3 storage support
Linx
Linx is a self-hosted file and code-paste sharing server with a clean interface. It supports expiring uploads, file deletion keys, an API, and torrent download generation.
- Expiring uploads
- Code syntax highlighting
- Torrent download support
Gokapi vs Linx: key differences
Both projects are written in Go. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Gokapi versus GPL-3.0 for Linx. Linx is the more established project (first released 2015), while Gokapi arrived in 2021.
Why pick each one
Choose Gokapi if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (2.9k GitHub stars)
Choose Linx if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (1.6k GitHub stars)
Frequently asked questions
Is Gokapi or Linx better?
Neither is universally better. Gokapi has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Gokapi and Linx free and open-source?
Yes. Gokapi is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Linx under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Gokapi and Linx with Docker?
Gokapi: yes. Linx: yes.