Magic Wormhole vs Plik
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted file sync & storage options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Magic Wormhole | Plik |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 96 · Excellent | 82 · Excellent |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | Python | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 32 MB | 50 MB |
| Deployment | binary | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 22,946 | ★ 1,821 |
| First released | 2016 | None |
| Replaces | WeTransfer, AirDrop | WeTransfer |
What are Magic Wormhole and Plik?
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
Plik
Temporary file upload system (Wetransfer like).
Magic Wormhole vs Plik: key differences
Magic Wormhole is written in Python, while Plik is built with Go. Magic Wormhole is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 50 MB for Plik. Magic Wormhole has the considerably larger community, at 22,946 GitHub stars versus 1,821.
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 Plik if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Active community (1.8k GitHub stars)
- Written in Go
- Tiny footprint — runs in 50 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Magic Wormhole or Plik better?
Magic Wormhole is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Plik if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Magic Wormhole and Plik free and open-source?
Yes. Magic Wormhole is licensed under MIT and Plik under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Magic Wormhole and Plik with Docker?
Magic Wormhole: check the project docs for container support. Plik: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Magic Wormhole or Plik?
Magic Wormhole has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 50 MB for Plik. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.