Lufi vs PicoShare
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted file sync & storage options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
PicoShare
Minimalist file sharing for permanent direct links
| Feature | Lufi | PicoShare |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Perl | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 300 | ★ 3,039 |
| First released | 2015 | 2021 |
| Replaces | WeTransfer, Firefox Send | Dropbox, WeTransfer |
What are Lufi and PicoShare?
Lufi
Lufi is a file hosting application where files are encrypted in the browser before being uploaded, so the server never sees their contents. Files can be set to delete after a chosen expiration period.
- Client-side encryption
- Automatic file expiration
- Part of the Framasoft suite
PicoShare
PicoShare is a minimal file-sharing app that makes it easy to share files with simple, permanent URLs. It is designed to be a single-binary deployment with no external dependencies.
- Permanent shareable links
- SQLite-backed storage
- Single-binary deployment
Lufi vs PicoShare: key differences
Lufi is written in Perl, while PicoShare is built with Go. PicoShare is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 128 MB for Lufi. Lufi is the more established project (first released 2015), while PicoShare arrived in 2021. PicoShare has the considerably larger community, at 3,039 GitHub stars versus 300.
Why pick each one
Choose Lufi if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Perl
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Choose PicoShare if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (3k GitHub stars)
Frequently asked questions
Is Lufi or PicoShare better?
PicoShare is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Lufi if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Lufi and PicoShare free and open-source?
Yes. Lufi is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and PicoShare under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Lufi and PicoShare with Docker?
Lufi: yes. PicoShare: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Lufi or PicoShare?
PicoShare has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for Lufi. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.