SHSelfHostIndex

Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare vs Zipline

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?
RE Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare Anonymous file sharing over the Tor network VS ZI Zipline ShareX and file upload server with a clean dashboard
FeatureResilio Sync alternative OnionshareZipline
Deploy effortRead-the-docs projectUnder-an-hour setup
Health score91 · Excellent88 · Excellent
CategoryFile Sync & StorageFile Sync & Storage
LicenseGPL-3.0MIT
LanguagePythonTypeScript
Setup difficultyMediumMedium
Min. RAM256 MB256 MB
Deploymentbinary, bare-metaldocker
GitHub stars★ 7,098★ 3,429
First released20142021
ReplacesWeTransfer, DropboxImgur, Dropbox

What are Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare and Zipline?

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

Zipline

Zipline is a fast self-hosted file upload server with a modern dashboard. It supports ShareX, image embeds, URL shortening, and detailed statistics.

  • ShareX integration
  • URL shortener built in
  • Detailed upload statistics

Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare vs Zipline: key differences

Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare is written in Python, while Zipline is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare versus MIT for Zipline. Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare is the more established project (first released 2014), while Zipline arrived in 2021. Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare has the considerably larger community, at 7,098 GitHub stars versus 3,429. Zipline lists first-class Docker deployment; Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare does not.

Why pick each one

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

Choose Zipline if…

  • Released under the MIT license
  • First-class Docker support for quick deployment
  • Active community (3.4k GitHub stars)
  • Written in TypeScript
Zipline details

Frequently asked questions

Is Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare or Zipline better?

Neither is universally better. Resilio Sync alternative Onionshare has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.

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

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

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

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

Related comparisons