Pomf 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.
| Feature | Pomf | Send |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 13 · At risk | 37 · At risk |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | MIT | MPL-2.0 |
| Language | PHP | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 923 | ★ 5,914 |
| First released | 2015 | 2020 |
| Replaces | WeTransfer, Imgur | WeTransfer, Firefox Send |
What are Pomf and Send?
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
Send
Send is a community-maintained fork of the discontinued Firefox Send. It provides end-to-end encrypted file sharing with links that expire after a download limit or time period.
- End-to-end encryption
- Expiring share links
- No account required
Pomf vs Send: key differences
Pomf is written in PHP, while Send is built with JavaScript. Licensing differs — MIT for Pomf versus MPL-2.0 for Send. Pomf is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Send. Pomf is the more established project (first released 2015), while Send arrived in 2020. Send has the considerably larger community, at 5,914 GitHub stars versus 923. Send lists first-class Docker deployment; Pomf does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Pomf if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in PHP
- Tiny footprint — runs in 64 MB RAM
Choose Send if…
- Released under the MPL-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 5.9k GitHub stars
- Written in JavaScript
Frequently asked questions
Is Pomf or Send better?
Neither is universally better. Send has the larger community, while Pomf is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Pomf and Send free and open-source?
Yes. Pomf is licensed under MIT and Send under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Pomf and Send with Docker?
Pomf: check the project docs for container support. Send: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Pomf or Send?
Pomf has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Send. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.