Syncthing
Peer-to-peer file synchronisation tool.
Best self-hosted File Transfer & Synchronization software in 2026
File transfer, sharing and synchronization software software.
We track 20 open-source, self-hosted File Transfer & Synchronization apps. 14 of them had commits in the last 90 days, 8 can run with Docker, and the most common licenses are AGPL-3.0 (8), GPL-3.0 (5), Apache-2.0 (3). The most-used languages are Go, PHP, Nodejs. Below are the top picks by GitHub stars, followed by every app ranked by stars weighted by maintenance health.
Alternatives to DropboxAlternatives to Google DriveAlternatives to OneDriveAlternatives to iCloud DriveAlternatives to BoxAlternatives to pCloudAlternatives to MEGAAlternatives to Sync.comAlternatives to Resilio SyncAlternatives to NextcloudAlternatives to Syncthing
Top 5 by GitHub stars
| # | App | Stars | Health | Last activity | License | Language | Docker |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Syncthing | 90.4k | Active | 2026-11-09 | MPL-2.0 | Go, Docker | ✓ |
| 2 | Puter | 44.2k | Active | 2026-11-10 | AGPL-3.0 | Nodejs, Docker | ✓ |
| 3 | Nextcloud | 37.5k | Active | 2026-11-10 | AGPL-3.0 | PHP, deb | – |
| 4 | Cloudreve | 29k | Active | 2026-09-21 | GPL-3.0 | Docker, Go | ✓ |
| 5 | Seafile | 15.4k | Active | 2026-10-16 | GPL-2.0, GPL-3.0, AGPL-3.0, Apache-2.0 | C | – |
- Syncthing — Peer-to-peer file synchronisation tool.
- Puter — Web-based operating system designed to be feature-rich, exceptionally fast, and highly extensible.
- Nextcloud — Access and share your files, calendars, contacts, mail and more from any device, on your terms.
- Cloudreve — File management and sharing system, supports multiple storage providers.
- Seafile — File hosting and sharing solution primary for teams and organizations.
Head-to-head comparisons
Puter vs SyncthingNextcloud vs SyncthingCloudreve vs SyncthingNextcloud vs PuterCloudreve vs PuterCloudreve vs NextcloudNextcloud vs Seafile
All 20 self-hosted File Transfer & Synchronization apps
Ranked by GitHub stars weighted by maintenance health.
Puter
Web-based operating system designed to be feature-rich, exceptionally fast, and highly extensible.
Nextcloud
Access and share your files, calendars, contacts, mail and more from any device, on your terms.
Cloudreve
File management and sharing system, supports multiple storage providers.
Seafile
File hosting and sharing solution primary for teams and organizations.
ownCloud
All-in-one solution for saving, synchronizing, viewing, editing and sharing files, calendars, address books and more.
OpenCloud
File Sharing and Collaboration Platform.
Unison
File-synchronization tool for OSX, Unix, and Windows.
Kinto
Minimalist JSON storage service with synchronisation and sharing abilities.
Peergos
Secure and private space online where you can store, share and view your photos, videos, music and documents. Also includes a calendar, news feed, task lists, chat and email client.
Pydio
Turn any web server into a powerful file management system and an alternative to mainstream cloud storage providers.
Sync-in
File storage, syncing, sharing, and collaboration with real-time editing, permission management, and desktop/CLI clients.
Hoodik
End-to-end encrypted cloud storage server. Files are encrypted and decrypted in the browser, so the server only ever holds ciphertext. Runs on SQLite or PostgreSQL, stores chunks on local disk or any S3-compatible service.
bewCloud
File sharing + sync, notes, and photos (alternative to Nextcloud and ownCloud's RSS reader).
FileRun
Complete solution for your files with integration with Google and Office.
Git Annex
File synchronization between computers, servers, external drives.
OpenSSH SFTP server
Secure File Transfer Program.
Resilio Sync
Proprietary peer-to-peer file synchronisation tool.
Samba
Standard Windows interoperability suite of programs for Linux and Unix. It provides secure, stable and fast file and print services for all clients using the SMB/CIFS protocol.
Yetishare
Powerful file hosting script with support for Amazon S3, Wasabi, Backblaze, local, direct and SFTP storage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best self-hosted File Transfer & Synchronization software in 2026?
By GitHub stars, the most popular self-hosted File Transfer & Synchronization apps are Syncthing (90,421 stars), Puter (44,171 stars), Nextcloud (37,522 stars). Popularity is only one signal: also check maintenance health, license and whether it fits your setup.
How many self-hosted File Transfer & Synchronization apps are actively maintained?
14 of the 20 apps listed had commits in the last 90 days; for 6 we have no repository activity data.
Which self-hosted File Transfer & Synchronization apps can I run with Docker?
8 of the 20 apps can run with Docker; 1 publish an image on Docker Hub, including Cloudreve.
Which licenses do self-hosted File Transfer & Synchronization apps use?
The most common licenses in this category are AGPL-3.0 (8 apps), GPL-3.0 (5 apps), Apache-2.0 (3 apps).
How much does it cost to self-host File Transfer & Synchronization software?
The software itself is free to download. Based on our rough hardware estimates, the cheapest suitable VPS plan starts at about $5/month (median $5/month across apps in this category). Several light apps can share one server.
Related categories
Figures from GitHub and Docker Hub as of 2026-11-15; hosting costs are rough estimates.