ProjectSend vs transfer.sh
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
transfer.sh
Easy file sharing from the command line
| Feature | ProjectSend | transfer.sh |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 85 · Excellent | 76 · Good |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | GPL-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | PHP | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,022 | ★ 15,897 |
| First released | 2012 | 2014 |
| Replaces | Dropbox, WeTransfer | WeTransfer |
What are ProjectSend and transfer.sh?
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
transfer.sh
transfer.sh is a service that lets you upload and share files directly from the command line using curl. It supports encryption, S3 and Google Cloud Storage backends, and maximum download counts.
- Command-line uploads with curl
- Multiple storage backends
- Optional encryption
ProjectSend vs transfer.sh: key differences
ProjectSend is written in PHP, while transfer.sh is built with Go. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for ProjectSend versus MIT for transfer.sh. Transfer.sh is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 256 MB for ProjectSend. ProjectSend is the more established project (first released 2012), while transfer.sh arrived in 2014. Transfer.sh has the considerably larger community, at 15,897 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 transfer.sh if…
- Curl-friendly uploads
- S3 backend support
- Download limits and encryption
Watch out for
- Sparse recent development
- Minimal web interface
Frequently asked questions
Is ProjectSend or transfer.sh better?
Neither is universally better. transfer.sh has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are ProjectSend and transfer.sh free and open-source?
Yes. ProjectSend is licensed under GPL-2.0 and transfer.sh under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run ProjectSend and transfer.sh with Docker?
ProjectSend: yes. transfer.sh: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, ProjectSend or transfer.sh?
transfer.sh has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for ProjectSend. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.