PicoShare vs Send
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?
PicoShare
Minimalist file sharing for permanent direct links
VS
Send
Encrypted file sharing fork of Firefox Send
| Feature | PicoShare | Send |
|---|---|---|
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MPL-2.0 |
| Language | Go | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,971 | ★ 5,847 |
| First released | 2021 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Dropbox, WeTransfer | WeTransfer, Firefox Send |
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 Send if…
- Released under the MPL-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 5.8k GitHub stars
- Written in JavaScript
Frequently asked questions
Is PicoShare or Send better?
Neither is universally better. Send has the larger community, while PicoShare is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are PicoShare and Send free and open-source?
Yes. PicoShare is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Send under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run PicoShare and Send with Docker?
PicoShare: yes. Send: yes.