ShareDrop 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 | ShareDrop | XBackBone |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 30 · At risk | 83 · Excellent |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 50 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 10,753 | ★ 1,169 |
| First released | 2014 | 2023 |
| Replaces | AirDrop, WeTransfer | WeTransfer |
What are ShareDrop and XBackBone?
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
XBackBone
Lightweight file manager with full ShareX support.
ShareDrop vs XBackBone: key differences
ShareDrop is written in JavaScript, while XBackBone is built with PHP. Licensing differs — MIT for ShareDrop versus AGPL-3.0 for XBackBone. XBackBone is the lighter option, starting around 50 MB of RAM against 64 MB for ShareDrop. ShareDrop is the more established project (first released 2014), while XBackBone arrived in 2023. ShareDrop has the considerably larger community, at 10,753 GitHub stars versus 1,169. ShareDrop lists first-class Docker deployment; XBackBone 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
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 ShareDrop or XBackBone better?
Neither is universally better. ShareDrop has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are ShareDrop and XBackBone free and open-source?
Yes. ShareDrop is licensed under MIT and XBackBone under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run ShareDrop and XBackBone with Docker?
ShareDrop: yes. XBackBone: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, ShareDrop or XBackBone?
XBackBone has the smaller minimum footprint at 50 MB of RAM, compared to about 64 MB for ShareDrop. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.