PicoShare 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.
PicoShare
Minimalist file sharing for permanent direct links
VS
Pingvin Share
Archived
Self-hosted file sharing alternative to WeTransfer
| Feature | PicoShare | Pingvin Share |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 86 · Excellent | 15 · At risk |
| Status | Actively maintained | Archived |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | BSD-2-Clause |
| Language | Go | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,039 | ★ 4,668 |
| First released | 2021 | 2022 |
| Replaces | Dropbox, WeTransfer | WeTransfer, Firefox Send |
What are PicoShare and Pingvin Share?
PicoShare
PicoShare is a minimal file-sharing app that makes it easy to share files with simple, permanent URLs. It is designed to be a single-binary deployment with no external dependencies.
- Permanent shareable links
- SQLite-backed storage
- Single-binary deployment
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
PicoShare vs Pingvin Share: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Pingvin Share's repository is archived and no longer developed, while PicoShare is actively maintained. PicoShare is written in Go, while Pingvin Share is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for PicoShare versus BSD-2-Clause for Pingvin Share. PicoShare is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Pingvin Share.
Why pick each one
Choose PicoShare if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (3k 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 PicoShare or Pingvin Share better?
Neither is universally better. Pingvin Share has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are PicoShare and Pingvin Share free and open-source?
Yes. PicoShare is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Pingvin Share under BSD-2-Clause. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run PicoShare and Pingvin Share with Docker?
PicoShare: yes. Pingvin Share: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, PicoShare or Pingvin Share?
PicoShare 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.