Send vs XBackBone
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted file sync & storage options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
XBackBone
Lightweight file manager with full ShareX support
| Feature | Send | XBackBone |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 37 · At risk | 83 · Excellent |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | MPL-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 50 MB |
| Deployment | docker | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 5,914 | ★ 1,169 |
| First released | 2020 | 2023 |
| Replaces | WeTransfer, Firefox Send | WeTransfer |
What are Send and XBackBone?
Send
Send is a community-maintained fork of the discontinued Firefox Send. It provides end-to-end encrypted file sharing with links that expire after a download limit or time period.
- End-to-end encryption
- Expiring share links
- No account required
XBackBone
Lightweight file manager with full ShareX support.
Send vs XBackBone: key differences
Send is written in JavaScript, while XBackBone is built with PHP. Licensing differs — MPL-2.0 for Send versus AGPL-3.0 for XBackBone. XBackBone is the lighter option, starting around 50 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Send. Send is the more established project (first released 2020), while XBackBone arrived in 2023. Send has the considerably larger community, at 5,914 GitHub stars versus 1,169. Send lists first-class Docker deployment; XBackBone does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Send if…
- Released under the MPL-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 5.9k GitHub stars
- Written in JavaScript
Choose XBackBone if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (1.2k GitHub stars)
- Written in PHP
Frequently asked questions
Is Send or XBackBone better?
Neither is universally better. Send has the larger community, while XBackBone is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Send and XBackBone free and open-source?
Yes. Send is licensed under MPL-2.0 and XBackBone under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Send and XBackBone with Docker?
Send: yes. XBackBone: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Send or XBackBone?
XBackBone has the smaller minimum footprint at 50 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Send. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.