Seafile 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.
Not the right match-up?
Seafile
High-performance file sync and share with block storage
VS
Tiny File Manager
Single-file PHP file manager and browser
| Feature | Seafile | Tiny File Manager |
|---|---|---|
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | C | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | bare-metal, docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 15,077 | ★ 5,959 |
| First released | 2012 | 2016 |
| Replaces | Dropbox, Google Drive | Google Drive |
Why pick each one
Choose Seafile if…
- Excellent sync performance
- Stable and battle-tested
- Good for large libraries
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 Seafile or Tiny File Manager better?
Neither is universally better. Seafile has the larger community, while Tiny File Manager is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Seafile and Tiny File Manager free and open-source?
Yes. Seafile 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 Seafile and Tiny File Manager with Docker?
Seafile: yes. Tiny File Manager: yes.