Kleeja vs Pomf
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted file sync & storage options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Kleeja | Pomf |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 75 · Good | 13 · At risk |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | PHP | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 193 | ★ 923 |
| First released | 2006 | 2015 |
| Replaces | WeTransfer | WeTransfer, Imgur |
What are Kleeja and Pomf?
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
Pomf
Pomf is a lightweight file uploading and sharing platform written in PHP. It powers many community file hosts and is easy to deploy on shared hosting.
- Runs on shared hosting
- Drag-and-drop uploads
- Simple API
Kleeja vs Pomf: key differences
Both projects are written in PHP. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Kleeja versus MIT for Pomf. Pomf is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 128 MB for Kleeja. Kleeja is the more established project (first released 2006), while Pomf arrived in 2015. Pomf has the considerably larger community, at 923 GitHub stars versus 193.
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 Pomf if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in PHP
- Tiny footprint — runs in 64 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Kleeja or Pomf better?
Neither is universally better. Pomf has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Kleeja and Pomf free and open-source?
Yes. Kleeja is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Pomf under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Kleeja and Pomf with Docker?
Kleeja: check the project docs for container support. Pomf: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Kleeja or Pomf?
Pomf has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for Kleeja. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.