PairDrop vs Pomf
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
Pomf
Simple file uploading and sharing platform
| Feature | PairDrop | Pomf |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | ≈5-minute setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 67 · Good | 13 · At risk |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | JavaScript | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 11,459 | ★ 923 |
| First released | 2022 | 2015 |
| Replaces | AirDrop, WeTransfer | WeTransfer, Imgur |
What are PairDrop and Pomf?
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
Pomf
Pomf is a lightweight file uploading and sharing platform written in PHP. It powers many community file hosts and is easy to deploy on shared hosting.
- Runs on shared hosting
- Drag-and-drop uploads
- Simple API
PairDrop vs Pomf: key differences
PairDrop is written in JavaScript, while Pomf is built with PHP. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for PairDrop versus MIT for Pomf. Pomf is the more established project (first released 2015), while PairDrop arrived in 2022. PairDrop has the considerably larger community, at 11,459 GitHub stars versus 923. PairDrop lists first-class Docker deployment; Pomf does not.
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 Pomf if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in PHP
- Tiny footprint — runs in 64 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is PairDrop or Pomf 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 Pomf free and open-source?
Yes. PairDrop is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Pomf under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run PairDrop and Pomf with Docker?
PairDrop: yes. Pomf: check the project docs for container support.