PsiTransfer 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.
PsiTransfer
Simple open-source file sharing solution
VS
transfer.sh
Easy file sharing from the command line
| Feature | PsiTransfer | transfer.sh |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 76 · Good | 76 · Good |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | JavaScript | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,951 | ★ 15,897 |
| First released | 2017 | 2014 |
| Replaces | WeTransfer | WeTransfer |
What are PsiTransfer and transfer.sh?
PsiTransfer
PsiTransfer is a self-hosted file sharing application with a drag-and-drop web interface. It supports resumable uploads, file expiration, and password protection.
- Resumable uploads
- Password-protected buckets
- Drag-and-drop interface
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
PsiTransfer vs transfer.sh: key differences
PsiTransfer is written in JavaScript, while transfer.sh is built with Go. Transfer.sh is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 128 MB for PsiTransfer. Transfer.sh is the more established project (first released 2014), while PsiTransfer arrived in 2017. Transfer.sh has the considerably larger community, at 15,897 GitHub stars versus 1,951.
Why pick each one
Choose PsiTransfer if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (2k GitHub stars)
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 PsiTransfer 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 PsiTransfer and transfer.sh free and open-source?
Yes. PsiTransfer is licensed under MIT and transfer.sh under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run PsiTransfer and transfer.sh with Docker?
PsiTransfer: yes. transfer.sh: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, PsiTransfer or transfer.sh?
transfer.sh has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for PsiTransfer. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.