Magic Wormhole vs Send
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted file sync & storage options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Magic Wormhole
Get things from one computer to another, safely
VS
Send
Encrypted file sharing fork of Firefox Send
| Feature | Magic Wormhole | Send |
|---|---|---|
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | MIT | MPL-2.0 |
| Language | Python | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 32 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | binary | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 22,792 | ★ 5,847 |
| First released | 2016 | 2020 |
| Replaces | WeTransfer, AirDrop | WeTransfer, Firefox Send |
Why pick each one
Choose Magic Wormhole if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Mature project with 22.8k GitHub stars
- Written in Python
Choose Send if…
- Released under the MPL-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 5.8k GitHub stars
- Written in JavaScript
Frequently asked questions
Is Magic Wormhole or Send better?
Magic Wormhole is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Send if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Magic Wormhole and Send free and open-source?
Yes. Magic Wormhole is licensed under MIT and Send under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Magic Wormhole and Send with Docker?
Magic Wormhole: check the project docs for container support. Send: yes.