h5ai vs OpenCloud Files
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted file sync & storage options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
h5ai
Modern HTTP web server index for browsing files
VS
OpenCloud Files
Lightweight self-hosted file sync and sharing platform
| Feature | h5ai | OpenCloud Files |
|---|---|---|
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 6,052 | ★ 2,083 |
| First released | 2012 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Google Drive | Dropbox, Google Drive |
Why pick each one
Choose h5ai if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Mature project with 6.1k GitHub stars
- Written in JavaScript
Choose OpenCloud Files if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (2.1k GitHub stars)
- Written in Go
Frequently asked questions
Is h5ai or OpenCloud Files better?
h5ai is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider OpenCloud Files if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are h5ai and OpenCloud Files free and open-source?
Yes. h5ai is licensed under MIT and OpenCloud Files under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run h5ai and OpenCloud Files with Docker?
h5ai: check the project docs for container support. OpenCloud Files: yes.