Pomf vs XBackBone
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted file sync & storage options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
XBackBone
Lightweight file manager with full ShareX support
| Feature | Pomf | XBackBone |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 13 · At risk | 83 · Excellent |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 50 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 923 | ★ 1,169 |
| First released | 2015 | 2023 |
| Replaces | WeTransfer, Imgur | WeTransfer |
What are Pomf and XBackBone?
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
XBackBone
Lightweight file manager with full ShareX support.
Pomf vs XBackBone: key differences
Both projects are written in PHP. Licensing differs — MIT for Pomf versus AGPL-3.0 for XBackBone. XBackBone is the lighter option, starting around 50 MB of RAM against 64 MB for Pomf. Pomf is the more established project (first released 2015), while XBackBone arrived in 2023.
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 XBackBone if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (1.2k GitHub stars)
- Written in PHP
Frequently asked questions
Is Pomf or XBackBone better?
Neither is universally better. XBackBone has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Pomf and XBackBone free and open-source?
Yes. Pomf is licensed under MIT and XBackBone under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Pomf and XBackBone with Docker?
Pomf: check the project docs for container support. XBackBone: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Pomf or XBackBone?
XBackBone has the smaller minimum footprint at 50 MB of RAM, compared to about 64 MB for Pomf. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.