ProjectSend 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.
ProjectSend
Self-hosted client-oriented file sharing
VS
Send
Encrypted file sharing fork of Firefox Send
| Feature | ProjectSend | Send |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 85 · Excellent | 37 · At risk |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | GPL-2.0 | MPL-2.0 |
| Language | PHP | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,022 | ★ 5,914 |
| First released | 2012 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Dropbox, WeTransfer | WeTransfer, Firefox Send |
What are ProjectSend and Send?
ProjectSend
ProjectSend is a self-hosted application for sharing files with clients in a private, organized way with per-client access. It targets freelancers and agencies delivering files to customers. It is deployed via a PHP stack or Docker.
- Per-client file delivery
- Group and permission management
- Email notifications
- Branding options
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
ProjectSend vs Send: key differences
ProjectSend is written in PHP, while Send is built with JavaScript. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for ProjectSend versus MPL-2.0 for Send. ProjectSend is the more established project (first released 2012), while Send arrived in 2020. Send has the considerably larger community, at 5,914 GitHub stars versus 2,022.
Why pick each one
Choose ProjectSend if…
- Great for client deliverables
- Simple to operate
- Clear access control
Watch out for
- Not a general sync tool
- Dated interface
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 ProjectSend or Send better?
Neither is universally better. Send has the larger community, while ProjectSend is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are ProjectSend and Send free and open-source?
Yes. ProjectSend is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Send under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run ProjectSend and Send with Docker?
ProjectSend: yes. Send: yes.