Magic Wormhole 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.

Not the right match-up? Compare Magic Wormhole with Compare Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare with

MA Magic Wormhole Get things from one computer to another, safely VS RE Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare Anonymous file sharing over the Tor network

Feature	Magic Wormhole	Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare
Deploy effort	Read-the-docs project	Read-the-docs project
Health score	96 · Excellent	91 · Excellent
Category	File Sync & Storage	File Sync & Storage
License	MIT	GPL-3.0
Language	Python	Python
Setup difficulty	Easy	Medium
Min. RAM	32 MB	256 MB
Deployment	binary	binary, bare-metal
GitHub stars	★ 22,946	★ 7,098
First released	2016	2014
Replaces	WeTransfer, AirDrop	WeTransfer, Dropbox

What are Magic Wormhole and Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare?

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

Read the full Magic Wormhole guide →

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

Magic Wormhole vs Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare: key differences

Both projects are written in Python. Licensing differs — MIT for Magic Wormhole versus GPL-3.0 for Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare. Magic Wormhole is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare. Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare is the more established project (first released 2014), while Magic Wormhole arrived in 2016. Magic Wormhole has the considerably larger community, at 22,946 GitHub stars versus 7,098.

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

Magic Wormhole details

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

Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare details

Frequently asked questions

Is Magic Wormhole or Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare better?

Magic Wormhole is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare if its specific feature set fits your needs better.

Are Magic Wormhole and Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare free and open-source?

Yes. Magic Wormhole is licensed under MIT and Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Magic Wormhole and Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare with Docker?

Magic Wormhole: check the project docs for container support. Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare: check the project docs for container support.

Which is lighter on resources, Magic Wormhole or Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare?

Magic Wormhole has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 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.