Open-source ShareFile alternatives

SFTPGo is a configurable file transfer server that exposes SFTP, HTTP/S, FTP/S and WebDAV. Storage can be a local filesystem, an encrypted local filesystem, S3-compatible object storage, Google Cloud Storage, Azure Blob Storage or another SFTP server, so teams can exchange files internally or with business partners using familiar tools and protocols.

The Community edition includes the core protocols, the storage backends and the WebAdmin and WebClient interfaces. The project topics highlight multi-factor authentication, Prometheus metrics, proxy protocol support and data-at-rest encryption. It is also used to place legacy protocols in front of cloud storage, which lets older clients write to S3, Google Cloud Storage or Azure Blob.

SFTPGo is written in Go and released under the AGPL-3.0 license, with community support through GitHub. A separate Enterprise edition is sold under a commercial license with direct support from the authors, ISO 27001 vendor status and extra features for compliance-heavy environments. It is described as a drop-in upgrade from the Community edition.

Papermark is an open-source alternative to DocSend for sharing documents through links, with built-in analytics and custom domains. It also offers secure data rooms for sharing groups of documents, and it can be self-hosted and customized as needed.

Documents are shared by sending a custom link, and a custom domain and branding can be applied so the link looks like your own. Document tracking provides insights into how recipients engage, with page-by-page analytics listed as coming soon. The project is built with Next.js, TypeScript, Tailwind, shadcn/ui, Prisma and PostgreSQL, with NextAuth.js for authentication and Tinybird for analytics.

Running it yourself requires Node.js 18.17 or later, a PostgreSQL database, blob storage on AWS S3 or Vercel Blob, and Resend for sending email, plus Tinybird setup for analytics. The documentation covers cloning the repository, configuring environment variables and initializing the database. A hosted version is available at papermark.com.

ProjectSend is a self-hosted application for getting files to the people you work with. You upload files, choose exactly who can see them, and each client signs in to a private page to download them. There are no public links passed around by email, no third-party service holding documents, and no per-seat pricing. It is written in PHP with MySQL and released under the GPL-2.0 license.

Clients get a private area showing only what was shared with them, optional two-factor authentication, search, filtering and sorting, and downloads of single files, zip bundles, or whole folders, with email notifications in their language. For you, it provides resumable uploads that survive dropped connections, folders, categories, and client groups, sharing with one client, a group, or publicly with an expiry date or download limit, previews, and storage quotas.

People who prefer not to run the server can use ProjectSend Cloud, the official hosted version run by the same team, whose subscriptions fund the free software. S3 storage is among the topics. It suits agencies, consultants, and accountants who regularly deliver files to clients.

Safebucket is an open-source platform for sharing files on infrastructure you control. Its distinguishing design choice is that uploads and downloads use presigned URLs, so file data goes straight between the user and the storage backend and bypasses the application server. That keeps the server light and avoids it becoming a bottleneck for large transfers.

The platform covers the sharing workflow with quick and reverse share links that can be protected by a password or limited by download or view count, role-based access control at platform and bucket level, and file expiration with a configurable trash retention period. Sign-in works through any OIDC provider, local accounts exist for external users, and TOTP multifactor authentication is supported. Administrators get an activity feed, audit logs and a dashboard with platform-wide statistics.

Each component, including storage, database, events, cache and notifier, can be swapped for another implementation. The backend is written in Go, is licensed under Apache-2.0 and ships as container images that are signed with cosign. A Docker-based quick start brings it up locally on port 8080.

LinShare is an open-source file sharing platform built for organizations that need to exchange documents with internal and external collaborators while keeping full control over privacy and traceability. It is meant to replace email attachments, USB sticks and consumer cloud drives with a service you run on your own infrastructure.

Key features include a personal space where you upload, version and organize files and share them by link or email, shared spaces as workgroups with roles and nested folders, upload requests that let outsiders send files through a secure expiring drop box, guest accounts with restricted time-limited access, reusable contact lists, and activity logs and audit trails for every download, share and change. Enterprise integration covers LDAP directories, LemonLDAP::NG, Microsoft Azure SSO through OpenID Connect, JWT, antivirus scanning and file previews, plus a REST API and an MCP server that lets compatible AI assistants manage files, shares, guests and workgroups.

LinShare is licensed under AGPL-3.0, is documented with install and upgrade guides, and a recent release added guest sharing through contact lists. A demo can be tried before installing.