SFTPGo vs Syncthing
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted file sync & storage options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
SFTPGo
Full-featured SFTP, FTP and WebDAV server
VS
Syncthing
Continuous peer-to-peer file synchronization
| Feature | SFTPGo | Syncthing |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | ≈5-minute setup |
| Health score | 94 · Excellent | 100 · Excellent |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MPL-2.0 |
| Language | Go | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | docker, binary, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 12,570 | ★ 88,884 |
| First released | 2019 | 2014 |
| Replaces | Dropbox | Dropbox, Resilio Sync |
What are SFTPGo and Syncthing?
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
Syncthing
Syncthing is a continuous file synchronization program that syncs files between two or more devices directly, without a central server. It is ideal for individuals who want private, serverless sync across their own machines. It is distributed as a single binary and also runs well in Docker.
- Fully decentralized peer-to-peer sync
- TLS-encrypted transfers
- No cloud account required
- Cross-platform with mobile apps
SFTPGo vs Syncthing: key differences
Both projects are written in Go. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for SFTPGo versus MPL-2.0 for Syncthing. Syncthing is the more established project (first released 2014), while SFTPGo arrived in 2019. Syncthing has the considerably larger community, at 88,884 GitHub stars versus 12,570.
Why pick each one
Choose SFTPGo if…
- Multi-protocol in one binary
- Flexible storage backends
- Strong access controls
Watch out for
- No sync client
- Configuration can be complex
Choose Syncthing if…
- No central server needed
- Very private by design
- Lightweight and reliable
Watch out for
- No web file browsing
- Not a sharing platform
Frequently asked questions
Is SFTPGo or Syncthing better?
Syncthing is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider SFTPGo if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are SFTPGo and Syncthing free and open-source?
Yes. SFTPGo is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Syncthing under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run SFTPGo and Syncthing with Docker?
SFTPGo: yes. Syncthing: yes.