Gokapi vs PicoShare
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted file sync & storage options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
PicoShare
Minimalist file sharing for permanent direct links
| Feature | Gokapi | PicoShare |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 84 · Excellent | 86 · Excellent |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Go | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,881 | ★ 3,039 |
| First released | 2021 | 2021 |
| Replaces | WeTransfer, Firefox Send | Dropbox, WeTransfer |
What are Gokapi and PicoShare?
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
PicoShare
PicoShare is a minimal file-sharing app that makes it easy to share files with simple, permanent URLs. It is designed to be a single-binary deployment with no external dependencies.
- Permanent shareable links
- SQLite-backed storage
- Single-binary deployment
Gokapi vs PicoShare: key differences
Both projects are written in Go.
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 PicoShare if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (3k GitHub stars)
Frequently asked questions
Is Gokapi or PicoShare better?
Neither is universally better. PicoShare has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Gokapi and PicoShare free and open-source?
Yes. Gokapi is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and PicoShare under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Gokapi and PicoShare with Docker?
Gokapi: yes. PicoShare: yes.