Lufi vs ShareDrop
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted file sync & storage options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Lufi | ShareDrop |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | Perl | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 300 | ★ 10,753 |
| First released | 2015 | 2014 |
| Replaces | WeTransfer, Firefox Send | AirDrop, WeTransfer |
What are Lufi and ShareDrop?
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
ShareDrop
ShareDrop is a browser-based peer-to-peer file sharing app using WebRTC. It lets devices on the same network exchange files directly without uploading to a server.
- WebRTC peer-to-peer transfer
- No server-side storage
- Works across local networks
Lufi vs ShareDrop: key differences
Lufi is written in Perl, while ShareDrop is built with JavaScript. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Lufi versus MIT for ShareDrop. ShareDrop is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 128 MB for Lufi. ShareDrop has the considerably larger community, at 10,753 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 ShareDrop if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 10.8k GitHub stars
Frequently asked questions
Is Lufi or ShareDrop better?
ShareDrop 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 ShareDrop free and open-source?
Yes. Lufi is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and ShareDrop under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Lufi and ShareDrop with Docker?
Lufi: yes. ShareDrop: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Lufi or ShareDrop?
ShareDrop 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.