Gokapi vs Magic Wormhole
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 | Magic Wormhole |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 84 · Excellent | 96 · Excellent |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | Go | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 32 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,881 | ★ 22,946 |
| First released | 2021 | 2016 |
| Replaces | WeTransfer, Firefox Send | WeTransfer, AirDrop |
What are Gokapi and Magic Wormhole?
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
Magic Wormhole
Magic Wormhole is a library and CLI tool for securely transferring files and directories between computers. It uses short human-pronounceable codes and PAKE encryption for safe transfers.
- PAKE-based encryption
- Human-readable transfer codes
- Self-hostable relay and mailbox
Gokapi vs Magic Wormhole: key differences
Gokapi is written in Go, while Magic Wormhole is built with Python. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Gokapi versus MIT for Magic Wormhole. Magic Wormhole is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 64 MB for Gokapi. Magic Wormhole is the more established project (first released 2016), while Gokapi arrived in 2021. Magic Wormhole has the considerably larger community, at 22,946 GitHub stars versus 2,881. Gokapi lists first-class Docker deployment; Magic Wormhole does not.
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 Magic Wormhole if…
- Dead-simple pairing codes
- End-to-end encrypted
- No account needed
Watch out for
- Terminal-based workflow
- Both ends online simultaneously
Frequently asked questions
Is Gokapi or Magic Wormhole better?
Neither is universally better. Magic Wormhole has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Gokapi and Magic Wormhole free and open-source?
Yes. Gokapi is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Magic Wormhole under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Gokapi and Magic Wormhole with Docker?
Gokapi: yes. Magic Wormhole: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Gokapi or Magic Wormhole?
Magic Wormhole has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 64 MB for Gokapi. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.