Pomf vs Updog
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 | Updog |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 13 · At risk | 54 · Fair |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | PHP | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 32 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal | binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 923 | ★ 3,412 |
| First released | 2015 | 2019 |
| Replaces | WeTransfer, Imgur | WeTransfer |
What are Pomf and Updog?
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
Updog
Updog is a small Python utility that improves upon SimpleHTTPServer by adding upload capability, HTTPS, and optional password protection. It is useful for quick file transfers.
- Upload support over HTTP
- Optional HTTPS and auth
- Simple drop-in replacement
Pomf vs Updog: key differences
Pomf is written in PHP, while Updog is built with Python. Updog is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 64 MB for Pomf. Pomf is the more established project (first released 2015), while Updog arrived in 2019. Updog has the considerably larger community, at 3,412 GitHub stars versus 923.
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 Updog if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (3.4k GitHub stars)
- Written in Python
Frequently asked questions
Is Pomf or Updog better?
Neither is universally better. Updog has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Pomf and Updog free and open-source?
Yes. Pomf is licensed under MIT and Updog under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Pomf and Updog with Docker?
Pomf: check the project docs for container support. Updog: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Pomf or Updog?
Updog has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 64 MB for Pomf. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.