copyparty
Portable file server with accelerated resumable uploads, deduplication, WebDAV, FTP, zeroconf, media indexer, video thumbnails, audio transcoding, and write-only folders, in a single file with no mandatory dependencies.
Best self-hosted File Transfer - Web-based File Managers software in 2026
Web-based file managers.
We track 17 open-source, self-hosted File Transfer - Web-based File Managers apps. 12 of them had commits in the last 90 days, 7 can run with Docker, and the most common licenses are MIT (9), AGPL-3.0 (5), GPL-3.0 (2). The most-used languages are PHP, Nodejs, Python. Below are the top picks by GitHub stars, followed by every app ranked by stars weighted by maintenance health.
Alternatives to DropboxAlternatives to OneDriveAlternatives to iCloud DriveAlternatives to BoxAlternatives to pCloudAlternatives to MEGA
Top 5 by GitHub stars
| # | App | Stars | Health | Last activity | License | Language | Docker |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | copyparty | 47.4k | Active | 2026-10-21 | MIT | Python | – |
| 2 | Filestash | 14.9k | Active | 2026-11-05 | AGPL-3.0 | Docker | ✓ |
| 3 | miniserve | 8.1k | Active | 2026-11-03 | MIT | Rust | – |
| 4 | Tiny File Manager | 6k | Maintained | 2026-07-20 | GPL-3.0 | PHP | – |
| 5 | TagSpaces | 5.4k | Active | 2026-11-06 | AGPL-3.0 | Nodejs | – |
- copyparty — Portable file server with accelerated resumable uploads, deduplication, WebDAV, FTP, zeroconf, media indexer, video thumbnails, audio transcoding, and write-only folders, in a single file with no mandatory dependencies.
- Filestash — Web file manager that lets you manage your data anywhere it is located: FTP, SFTP, WebDAV, Git, S3, Minio, Dropbox, or Google Drive.
- miniserve — CLI tool to serve files and dirs over HTTP.
- Tiny File Manager — Web based File Manager in PHP, simple, fast and small file manager with a single file.
- TagSpaces — Offline, cross-platform file manager and organiser that also can function as a note taking app. The WebDAV version of the application can be installed on top of a WebDAV servers such as Nextcloud or ownCloud.
Head-to-head comparisons
copyparty vs Filestashcopyparty vs miniservecopyparty vs Tiny File ManagerFilestash vs miniserveFilestash vs Tiny File Managerminiserve vs Tiny File Manager
All 17 self-hosted File Transfer - Web-based File Managers apps
Ranked by GitHub stars weighted by maintenance health.
Filestash
Web file manager that lets you manage your data anywhere it is located: FTP, SFTP, WebDAV, Git, S3, Minio, Dropbox, or Google Drive.
miniserve
CLI tool to serve files and dirs over HTTP.
TagSpaces
Offline, cross-platform file manager and organiser that also can function as a note taking app. The WebDAV version of the application can be installed on top of a WebDAV servers such as Nextcloud or ownCloud.
FileGator
Powerful multi-user file manager with a single page front-end.
Directory Lister
Simple PHP based directory lister that lists a directory and all its sub-directories and allows you to navigate there within.
Sync-in
File storage, syncing, sharing, and collaboration with real-time editing, permission management, and desktop/CLI clients.
Tiny File Manager
Web based File Manager in PHP, simple, fast and small file manager with a single file.
FileRise
Web file manager with uploads, tagging, share links, gallery/table views, and an in-browser editor.
mikochi
Browse remote folders, upload files, delete, rename, download and stream files to VLC/mpv.
IFM
Single script file manager.
Flare
Nonbloated, modern, and highly configurable file/screenshot vault server with support for ShareX, Flameshot, and Spectacle. Offers OCR search and more.
slcl
Simple and lightweight web cloud storage.
Apaxy
Theme built to enhance the experience of browsing web directories, using the mod_autoindex Apache module and some CSS to override the default style of a directory listing.
ClyoCloud
Personal cloud storage and media management application built for privacy, efficiency, and aesthetics.
ResourceSpace
Simple, fast, and free way to organise your digital assets.
Surfer
Simple static file server with webui to manage files.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best self-hosted File Transfer - Web-based File Managers software in 2026?
By GitHub stars, the most popular self-hosted File Transfer - Web-based File Managers apps are copyparty (47,355 stars), Filestash (14,887 stars), miniserve (8,111 stars). Popularity is only one signal: also check maintenance health, license and whether it fits your setup.
How many self-hosted File Transfer - Web-based File Managers apps are actively maintained?
12 of the 17 apps listed had commits in the last 90 days and 1 more in the last 12 months; for 3 we have no repository activity data.
Which self-hosted File Transfer - Web-based File Managers apps can I run with Docker?
7 of the 17 apps can run with Docker; 1 publish an image on Docker Hub, including Directory Lister.
Which licenses do self-hosted File Transfer - Web-based File Managers apps use?
The most common licenses in this category are MIT (9 apps), AGPL-3.0 (5 apps), GPL-3.0 (2 apps).
How much does it cost to self-host File Transfer - Web-based File Managers software?
The software itself is free to download. Based on our rough hardware estimates, the cheapest suitable VPS plan starts at about $3.5/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.