Magic Wormhole vs qrcp
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 | qrcp |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 96 · Excellent | 70 · Good |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | Python | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 32 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | binary | binary, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 22,946 | ★ 10,512 |
| First released | 2016 | 2018 |
| Replaces | WeTransfer, AirDrop | AirDrop, Snapdrop |
What are Magic Wormhole and qrcp?
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
qrcp
qrcp is a command-line tool that transfers files over WiFi by generating a QR code that points to a temporary local web server. Scanning the code with a phone downloads or uploads files without any app or cable.
- QR-code based transfers
- Send and receive files
- Single static binary
- No mobile app required
Magic Wormhole vs qrcp: key differences
Magic Wormhole is written in Python, while qrcp is built with Go. Magic Wormhole is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 64 MB for qrcp. Magic Wormhole is the more established project (first released 2016), while qrcp arrived in 2018. Magic Wormhole has the considerably larger community, at 22,946 GitHub stars versus 10,512.
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 qrcp if…
- Instant phone transfers
- Zero configuration
Watch out for
- Same-network requirement
- CLI only
Frequently asked questions
Is Magic Wormhole or qrcp 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 qrcp free and open-source?
Yes. Magic Wormhole is licensed under MIT and qrcp under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Magic Wormhole and qrcp with Docker?
Magic Wormhole: check the project docs for container support. qrcp: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Magic Wormhole or qrcp?
Magic Wormhole has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 64 MB for qrcp. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.