Pomf vs ShareDrop
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 | ShareDrop |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 13 · At risk | 30 · At risk |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | PHP | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 923 | ★ 10,753 |
| First released | 2015 | 2014 |
| Replaces | WeTransfer, Imgur | AirDrop, WeTransfer |
What are Pomf and ShareDrop?
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
ShareDrop
ShareDrop is a browser-based peer-to-peer file sharing app using WebRTC. It lets devices on the same network exchange files directly without uploading to a server.
- WebRTC peer-to-peer transfer
- No server-side storage
- Works across local networks
Pomf vs ShareDrop: key differences
Pomf is written in PHP, while ShareDrop is built with JavaScript. ShareDrop has the considerably larger community, at 10,753 GitHub stars versus 923. ShareDrop 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 ShareDrop if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 10.8k GitHub stars
Frequently asked questions
Is Pomf or ShareDrop better?
Neither is universally better. ShareDrop has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Pomf and ShareDrop free and open-source?
Yes. Pomf is licensed under MIT and ShareDrop under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Pomf and ShareDrop with Docker?
Pomf: check the project docs for container support. ShareDrop: yes.