Pydio Cells vs Tiny File Manager
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted file sync & storage options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Pydio Cells | Tiny File Manager |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 86 · Excellent | 69 · Good |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Go | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | bare-metal, docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,252 | ★ 5,978 |
| First released | 2018 | 2016 |
| Replaces | Dropbox, Box, Google Drive | Google Drive |
What are Pydio Cells and Tiny File Manager?
Pydio Cells
Pydio Cells is a content collaboration platform for organizations, offering file sharing, workspaces, and access controls. It is designed for teams and enterprises needing governed document collaboration. It is deployed via Docker or native binaries.
- Workspace-based collaboration
- Granular access control
- Built-in search and metadata
- Mobile and desktop clients
Tiny File Manager
Tiny File Manager is a web-based file manager contained in a single PHP file. It provides multi-user support, file editing, archive handling, and a clean responsive interface.
- Single-file deployment
- Built-in code editor
- Multi-user access control
Pydio Cells vs Tiny File Manager: key differences
Pydio Cells is written in Go, while Tiny File Manager is built with PHP. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Pydio Cells versus GPL-3.0 for Tiny File Manager. Tiny File Manager is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Pydio Cells. Tiny File Manager is the more established project (first released 2016), while Pydio Cells arrived in 2018. Tiny File Manager has the considerably larger community, at 5,978 GitHub stars versus 2,252.
Why pick each one
Choose Pydio Cells if…
- Strong enterprise features
- Modern Go codebase
- Good access governance
Watch out for
- Heavier than simple tools
- Smaller community
Choose Tiny File Manager if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 6k GitHub stars
Frequently asked questions
Is Pydio Cells or Tiny File Manager better?
Tiny File Manager is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Pydio Cells if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Pydio Cells and Tiny File Manager free and open-source?
Yes. Pydio Cells is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Tiny File Manager under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Pydio Cells and Tiny File Manager with Docker?
Pydio Cells: yes. Tiny File Manager: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Pydio Cells or Tiny File Manager?
Tiny File Manager has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Pydio Cells. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.