h5ai vs Tiny File Manager
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
Tiny File Manager
Single-file PHP file manager and browser
| Feature | h5ai | Tiny File Manager |
|---|---|---|
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal | bare-metal, docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 6,052 | ★ 5,959 |
| First released | 2012 | 2016 |
| Replaces | Google Drive | 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 Tiny File Manager if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 6k GitHub stars
Frequently asked questions
Is h5ai or Tiny File Manager better?
Neither is universally better. h5ai has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are h5ai and Tiny File Manager free and open-source?
Yes. h5ai is licensed under MIT and Tiny File Manager under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run h5ai and Tiny File Manager with Docker?
h5ai: check the project docs for container support. Tiny File Manager: yes.