SHSelfHostIndex

Kubo (IPFS) vs Spacedrive

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?
KU Kubo (IPFS) Reference implementation of the InterPlanetary File System VS SP Spacedrive Cross-platform file explorer powered by a virtual distributed filesystem
FeatureKubo (IPFS)Spacedrive
Deploy effortUnder-an-hour setupRead-the-docs project
Health score95 · Excellent83 · Excellent
CategoryFile Sync & StorageFile Sync & Storage
LicenseMITAGPL-3.0
LanguageGoRust
Setup difficultyHardMedium
Min. RAM512 MB512 MB
Deploymentdocker, binary, snapbinary
GitHub stars★ 17,139★ 39,022
First released20152022
ReplacesDropboxGoogle Drive, Dropbox

What are Kubo (IPFS) and Spacedrive?

Kubo (IPFS)

Kubo is the reference implementation of IPFS, a peer-to-peer hypermedia protocol for decentralized file storage and sharing. It enables content-addressed distribution of files across a global network.

  • Content-addressed storage
  • Decentralized peer-to-peer network
  • HTTP gateway support

Read the full Kubo (IPFS) guide →

Spacedrive

Spacedrive is an open-source, cross-platform file manager written in Rust, built around a virtual distributed filesystem (VDFS). It indexes and organizes files across multiple devices and storage locations from a single native app.

  • Virtual distributed filesystem
  • Indexes files across devices
  • Cross-platform native app

Read the full Spacedrive guide →

Kubo (IPFS) vs Spacedrive: key differences

Kubo (IPFS) is written in Go, while Spacedrive is built with Rust. Licensing differs — MIT for Kubo (IPFS) versus AGPL-3.0 for Spacedrive. Kubo (IPFS) is the more established project (first released 2015), while Spacedrive arrived in 2022. Spacedrive has the considerably larger community, at 39,022 GitHub stars versus 17,139. Kubo (IPFS) lists first-class Docker deployment; Spacedrive does not.

Why pick each one

Choose Kubo (IPFS) if…

  • Content-addressed storage
  • Censorship resistant
  • Reference IPFS implementation

Watch out for

  • Heavy bandwidth chatter
  • Content vanishes without pinning
  • Concepts take learning
Kubo (IPFS) details

Choose Spacedrive if…

  • Unified multi-device view
  • Modern Rust core
  • Cross-platform clients

Watch out for

  • Still beta quality
  • Sync features incomplete
Spacedrive details

Frequently asked questions

Is Kubo (IPFS) or Spacedrive better?

Spacedrive is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Kubo (IPFS) if its specific feature set fits your needs better.

Are Kubo (IPFS) and Spacedrive free and open-source?

Yes. Kubo (IPFS) is licensed under MIT and Spacedrive under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Kubo (IPFS) and Spacedrive with Docker?

Kubo (IPFS): yes. Spacedrive: check the project docs for container support.

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