Lufi vs Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare
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 | Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Perl | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | binary, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 300 | ★ 7,098 |
| First released | 2015 | 2014 |
| Replaces | WeTransfer, Firefox Send | WeTransfer, Dropbox |
What are Lufi and Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare?
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
Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare
OnionShare is an open-source tool that lets you securely and anonymously share files using the Tor network. It can also host websites and run a chat server accessible only as a Tor onion service.
- Anonymous sharing over Tor
- No central server needed
- Host sites and chat anonymously
Lufi vs Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare: key differences
Lufi is written in Perl, while Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare is built with Python. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Lufi versus GPL-3.0 for Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare. Lufi is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare. Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare has the considerably larger community, at 7,098 GitHub stars versus 300. Lufi lists first-class Docker deployment; Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare does not.
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 Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Mature project with 7.1k GitHub stars
- Written in Python
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Lufi or Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare better?
Neither is universally better. Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Lufi and Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare free and open-source?
Yes. Lufi is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Lufi and Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare with Docker?
Lufi: yes. Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Lufi or Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare?
Lufi has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.