Kleeja vs Pingvin Share
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted file sync & storage options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Pingvin Share
Archived
Self-hosted file sharing alternative to WeTransfer
| Feature | Kleeja | Pingvin Share |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 75 · Good | 15 · At risk |
| Status | Actively maintained | Archived |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | GPL-3.0 | BSD-2-Clause |
| Language | PHP | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 193 | ★ 4,668 |
| First released | 2006 | 2022 |
| Replaces | WeTransfer | WeTransfer, Firefox Send |
What are Kleeja and Pingvin Share?
Kleeja
Kleeja is a long-running PHP application for uploading and sharing files and images. It supports multiple languages, themes, and a plugin system for extension.
- Plugin and theme system
- Multilingual interface
- Long-standing project
Pingvin Share
Pingvin Share is a self-hosted file sharing platform with a clean interface, designed as an alternative to WeTransfer and Firefox Send. It supports expiring shares and password protection.
- Expiring share links
- OAuth and LDAP login
- Password-protected shares
Kleeja vs Pingvin Share: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Pingvin Share's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Kleeja is actively maintained. Kleeja is written in PHP, while Pingvin Share is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Kleeja versus BSD-2-Clause for Pingvin Share. Kleeja is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Pingvin Share. Kleeja is the more established project (first released 2006), while Pingvin Share arrived in 2022. Pingvin Share has the considerably larger community, at 4,668 GitHub stars versus 193. Pingvin Share lists first-class Docker deployment; Kleeja does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Kleeja if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in PHP
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Choose Pingvin Share if…
- Released under the BSD-2-Clause license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (4.7k GitHub stars)
Frequently asked questions
Is Kleeja or Pingvin Share better?
Neither is universally better. Pingvin Share has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Kleeja and Pingvin Share free and open-source?
Yes. Kleeja is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Pingvin Share under BSD-2-Clause. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Kleeja and Pingvin Share with Docker?
Kleeja: check the project docs for container support. Pingvin Share: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Kleeja or Pingvin Share?
Kleeja has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Pingvin Share. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.