Seafile vs Syncthing

Self-host pick — both replace Dropbox (File sync + sharing).

Both Seafile and Syncthing self-host as a replacement for Dropbox (File sync + sharing). Pick Seafile if you want a AGPL-licensed codebase (AGPL-3.0 (Community Edition)); pick Syncthing for MPL (MPL-2.0). Both run in roughly the same cost bracket — $5 vps — efficient sync engine, low overhead vs $0 — peer-to-peer; no central server needed (relay is optional).

	Seafileopen-source	Syncthingopen-source
License	`AGPL-3.0 (Community Edition)`	`MPL-2.0`
Setup time	20min docker-compose	5min (binary on each device)
Monthly cost	$5 VPS — efficient sync engine, low overhead.	$0 — peer-to-peer; no central server needed (relay is optional).
GitHub	haiwen/seafile-server ★ 532 · last commit 2d agoalive	syncthing/syncthing ★ 84.0k · last commit 1d agoalive
Replaces	Dropbox	Dropbox

Good fit for

Seafile

Teams that prioritize raw sync speed over feature breadth.

Weak at:Web UI is plainer; CE lacks some advanced collab features.

Syncthing

Solo / family use where you don't want a server at all.

Weak at:No web UI for end-users; no built-in sharing links.

In a terminal? npx -y github:SolvoHQ/os-alt-cli dropbox prints Dropbox's self-host options including both — how the CLI works →

FAQ

Which is easier to self-host, Seafile or Syncthing?

Seafile: 20min docker-compose. Syncthing: 5min (binary on each device).

What does each cost to run?

Seafile: $5 VPS — efficient sync engine, low overhead.. Syncthing: $0 — peer-to-peer; no central server needed (relay is optional).. Both projects are free and open source.

Do Seafile and Syncthing replace the same SaaS?

Yes — both are open-source alternatives to Dropbox.