Kleeja vs Send
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 | Send |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 75 · Good | 37 · At risk |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MPL-2.0 |
| Language | PHP | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 193 | ★ 5,914 |
| First released | 2006 | 2020 |
| Replaces | WeTransfer | WeTransfer, Firefox Send |
What are Kleeja and Send?
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
Send
Send is a community-maintained fork of the discontinued Firefox Send. It provides end-to-end encrypted file sharing with links that expire after a download limit or time period.
- End-to-end encryption
- Expiring share links
- No account required
Kleeja vs Send: key differences
Kleeja is written in PHP, while Send is built with JavaScript. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Kleeja versus MPL-2.0 for Send. Kleeja is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Send. Kleeja is the more established project (first released 2006), while Send arrived in 2020. Send has the considerably larger community, at 5,914 GitHub stars versus 193. Send 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 Send if…
- Released under the MPL-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 5.9k GitHub stars
- Written in JavaScript
Frequently asked questions
Is Kleeja or Send better?
Neither is universally better. Send has the larger community, while Kleeja is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Kleeja and Send free and open-source?
Yes. Kleeja is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Send under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Kleeja and Send with Docker?
Kleeja: check the project docs for container support. Send: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Kleeja or Send?
Kleeja has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Send. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.