Magic Wormhole 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 | Magic Wormhole | PicoShare |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 96 · Excellent | 86 · Excellent |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 32 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | binary | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 22,946 | ★ 3,039 |
| First released | 2016 | 2021 |
| Replaces | WeTransfer, AirDrop | Dropbox, WeTransfer |
What are Magic Wormhole and PicoShare?
Magic Wormhole
Magic Wormhole is a library and CLI tool for securely transferring files and directories between computers. It uses short human-pronounceable codes and PAKE encryption for safe transfers.
- PAKE-based encryption
- Human-readable transfer codes
- Self-hostable relay and mailbox
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
Magic Wormhole vs PicoShare: key differences
Magic Wormhole is written in Python, while PicoShare is built with Go. Licensing differs — MIT for Magic Wormhole versus AGPL-3.0 for PicoShare. Magic Wormhole is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 64 MB for PicoShare. Magic Wormhole is the more established project (first released 2016), while PicoShare arrived in 2021. Magic Wormhole has the considerably larger community, at 22,946 GitHub stars versus 3,039. PicoShare lists first-class Docker deployment; Magic Wormhole does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Magic Wormhole if…
- Dead-simple pairing codes
- End-to-end encrypted
- No account needed
Watch out for
- Terminal-based workflow
- Both ends online simultaneously
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 Magic Wormhole or PicoShare better?
Neither is universally better. Magic Wormhole has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Magic Wormhole and PicoShare free and open-source?
Yes. Magic Wormhole is licensed under MIT and PicoShare under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Magic Wormhole and PicoShare with Docker?
Magic Wormhole: check the project docs for container support. PicoShare: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Magic Wormhole or PicoShare?
Magic Wormhole has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 64 MB for PicoShare. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.