Gokapi vs Send
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 | Send |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 84 · Excellent | 37 · At risk |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MPL-2.0 |
| Language | Go | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,881 | ★ 5,914 |
| First released | 2021 | 2020 |
| Replaces | WeTransfer, Firefox Send | WeTransfer, Firefox Send |
What are Gokapi and Send?
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
Send
Send is a community-maintained fork of the discontinued Firefox Send. It provides end-to-end encrypted file sharing with links that expire after a download limit or time period.
- End-to-end encryption
- Expiring share links
- No account required
Gokapi vs Send: key differences
Gokapi is written in Go, while Send is built with JavaScript. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Gokapi versus MPL-2.0 for Send. Gokapi is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Send. Send has the considerably larger community, at 5,914 GitHub stars versus 2,881.
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 Send if…
- Released under the MPL-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 5.9k GitHub stars
- Written in JavaScript
Frequently asked questions
Is Gokapi or Send better?
Neither is universally better. Send has the larger community, while Gokapi is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Gokapi and Send free and open-source?
Yes. Gokapi is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Send under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Gokapi and Send with Docker?
Gokapi: yes. Send: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Gokapi or Send?
Gokapi has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Send. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.