Seafile vs SFTPGo
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted file sync & storage options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Seafile
High-performance file sync and share with block storage
VS
SFTPGo
Full-featured SFTP, FTP and WebDAV server
| Feature | Seafile | SFTPGo |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 76 · Good | 94 · Excellent |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | C | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 15,273 | ★ 12,570 |
| First released | 2012 | 2019 |
| Replaces | Dropbox, Google Drive | Dropbox |
What are Seafile and SFTPGo?
Seafile
Seafile is a file sync and share platform built around a reliable, high-performance file storage engine. It is well suited for users and organizations that prioritize fast, reliable sync of large libraries. It is typically deployed via Docker Compose or on bare metal.
- Fast block-level sync engine
- Client-side encrypted libraries
- Reliable handling of large file sets
- Desktop, mobile and web clients
SFTPGo
SFTPGo is a configurable file transfer server supporting SFTP, FTP/S, WebDAV, and HTTP access with cloud storage backends. It suits administrators who need secure, multi-protocol file access. It is deployed via Docker or a single binary.
- SFTP, FTP, WebDAV and HTTP support
- Cloud storage backends
- Per-user quotas and rules
- Web admin and REST API
Seafile vs SFTPGo: key differences
Seafile is written in C, while SFTPGo is built with Go. SFTPGo is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Seafile. Seafile is the more established project (first released 2012), while SFTPGo arrived in 2019.
Why pick each one
Choose Seafile if…
- Excellent sync performance
- Stable and battle-tested
- Good for large libraries
Watch out for
- Fewer collaboration features than Nextcloud
- Setup more involved than simple tools
Choose SFTPGo if…
- Multi-protocol in one binary
- Flexible storage backends
- Strong access controls
Watch out for
- No sync client
- Configuration can be complex
Frequently asked questions
Is Seafile or SFTPGo better?
Neither is universally better. Seafile has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Seafile and SFTPGo free and open-source?
Yes. Seafile is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and SFTPGo under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Seafile and SFTPGo with Docker?
Seafile: yes. SFTPGo: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Seafile or SFTPGo?
SFTPGo has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Seafile. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.