PairDrop vs Pingvin Share
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted file sync & storage options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
PairDrop
Local and internet file sharing inspired by Snapdrop
VS
Pingvin Share
Archived
Self-hosted file sharing alternative to WeTransfer
| Feature | PairDrop | Pingvin Share |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | ≈5-minute setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 67 · Good | 15 · At risk |
| Status | Actively maintained | Archived |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | GPL-3.0 | BSD-2-Clause |
| Language | JavaScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 11,459 | ★ 4,668 |
| First released | 2022 | 2022 |
| Replaces | AirDrop, WeTransfer | WeTransfer, Firefox Send |
What are PairDrop and Pingvin Share?
PairDrop
PairDrop is an enhanced fork of Snapdrop that adds device pairing across networks and the internet. It enables easy, encrypted peer-to-peer file transfer between paired devices.
- Cross-network device pairing
- Paste and share text
- WebRTC encrypted transfer
Pingvin Share
Pingvin Share is a self-hosted file sharing platform with a clean interface, designed as an alternative to WeTransfer and Firefox Send. It supports expiring shares and password protection.
- Expiring share links
- OAuth and LDAP login
- Password-protected shares
PairDrop vs Pingvin Share: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Pingvin Share's repository is archived and no longer developed, while PairDrop is actively maintained. PairDrop is written in JavaScript, while Pingvin Share is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for PairDrop versus BSD-2-Clause for Pingvin Share. PairDrop is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Pingvin Share. PairDrop has the considerably larger community, at 11,459 GitHub stars versus 4,668.
Why pick each one
Choose PairDrop if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 11.5k GitHub stars
Choose Pingvin Share if…
- Released under the BSD-2-Clause license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (4.7k GitHub stars)
Frequently asked questions
Is PairDrop or Pingvin Share better?
Neither is universally better. PairDrop has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are PairDrop and Pingvin Share free and open-source?
Yes. PairDrop is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Pingvin Share under BSD-2-Clause. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run PairDrop and Pingvin Share with Docker?
PairDrop: yes. Pingvin Share: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, PairDrop or Pingvin Share?
PairDrop has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Pingvin Share. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.