MicroBin vs Pastefy
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted pastebins & snippets options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
MicroBin
Tiny, feature-rich pastebin and file-sharing service
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Pastefy
Modern pastebin with folders, encryption, and an API
| Feature | MicroBin | Pastefy |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 84 · Excellent | 70 · Good |
| Category | Pastebins & Snippets | Pastebins & Snippets |
| License | BSD-3-Clause | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Rust | Vue |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,563 | ★ 457 |
| First released | 2022 | 2019 |
| Replaces | Pastebin.com | Pastebin.com, GitHub Gist |
What are MicroBin and Pastefy?
MicroBin
MicroBin is a super tiny, configurable, self-contained pastebin and URL shortener written in Rust. Despite its small size it supports file uploads, encryption, QR codes, and expiring pastes.
- Single small binary
- File uploads and URL shortening
- Optional encryption
- QR code generation
Pastefy
Pastefy is a modern, open-source pastebin application with a clean interface. It supports client-side encryption, multi-paste folders, an extensive API, and optional user accounts.
- Client-side encryption
- Multi-paste folders
- Full REST API
- Optional accounts
MicroBin vs Pastefy: key differences
MicroBin is written in Rust, while Pastefy is built with Vue. Licensing differs — BSD-3-Clause for MicroBin versus Apache-2.0 for Pastefy. MicroBin is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Pastefy. Pastefy is the more established project (first released 2019), while MicroBin arrived in 2022. MicroBin has the considerably larger community, at 4,563 GitHub stars versus 457.
Why pick each one
Choose MicroBin if…
- Released under the BSD-3-Clause license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (4.6k GitHub stars)
Choose Pastefy if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Vue
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is MicroBin or Pastefy better?
MicroBin is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Pastefy if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are MicroBin and Pastefy free and open-source?
Yes. MicroBin is licensed under BSD-3-Clause and Pastefy under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run MicroBin and Pastefy with Docker?
MicroBin: yes. Pastefy: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, MicroBin or Pastefy?
MicroBin has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Pastefy. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.