SHSelfHostIndex

ShareDrop vs Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare

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?
SH ShareDrop Peer-to-peer file transfer in the browser VS RE Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare Anonymous file sharing over the Tor network
FeatureShareDropResilio Sync alternative Onionshare
Deploy effortUnder-an-hour setupRead-the-docs project
Health score30 · At risk91 · Excellent
CategoryFile Sync & StorageFile Sync & Storage
LicenseMITGPL-3.0
LanguageJavaScriptPython
Setup difficultyEasyMedium
Min. RAM64 MB256 MB
Deploymentdocker, bare-metalbinary, bare-metal
GitHub stars★ 10,753★ 7,098
First released20142014
ReplacesAirDrop, WeTransferWeTransfer, Dropbox

What are ShareDrop and Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare?

ShareDrop

ShareDrop is a browser-based peer-to-peer file sharing app using WebRTC. It lets devices on the same network exchange files directly without uploading to a server.

  • WebRTC peer-to-peer transfer
  • No server-side storage
  • Works across local networks

Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare

OnionShare is an open-source tool that lets you securely and anonymously share files using the Tor network. It can also host websites and run a chat server accessible only as a Tor onion service.

  • Anonymous sharing over Tor
  • No central server needed
  • Host sites and chat anonymously

ShareDrop vs Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare: key differences

ShareDrop is written in JavaScript, while Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare is built with Python. Licensing differs — MIT for ShareDrop versus GPL-3.0 for Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare. ShareDrop is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare. ShareDrop lists first-class Docker deployment; Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare does not.

Why pick each one

Choose ShareDrop if…

  • Released under the MIT license
  • Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
  • First-class Docker support for quick deployment
  • Mature project with 10.8k GitHub stars
ShareDrop details

Choose Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare if…

  • Released under the GPL-3.0 license
  • Mature project with 7.1k GitHub stars
  • Written in Python
  • Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare details

Frequently asked questions

Is ShareDrop or Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare better?

ShareDrop is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare if its specific feature set fits your needs better.

Are ShareDrop and Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare free and open-source?

Yes. ShareDrop is licensed under MIT and Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run ShareDrop and Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare with Docker?

ShareDrop: yes. Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare: check the project docs for container support.

Which is lighter on resources, ShareDrop or Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare?

ShareDrop has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.

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