head to head · open source
Files vs cryfs
Files has 46,481 GitHub stars, 3,016 forks, 458 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. cryfs has 2,330 stars, 174 forks, 154 open issues and last shipped 5 days ago. Files leads on adoption by 1,895% (46,481 vs 2,330 stars). Files is written in C# under MIT; cryfs is written in Rust under LGPL-3.0. Files has attracted 6% as many forks as stars, cryfs 7%. Files was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| Files | cryfs | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 46K | ★ 2.3K |
| License | MIT | LGPL-3.0 |
| Written in | C# | Rust |
| Last push | 2026-11-03 | 2026-10-31 |
| Forks | ⑂ 3.0K | ⑂ 174 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick Files if
- You weight community size — 46K stars and counting
- You want the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches C#
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick cryfs if
- You want the cryfs feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the LGPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Rust
- You evaluated both and cryfs fits your workflow better
About Files
Files is a modern file manager that helps users organize their files and folders. Our mission with Files is to build the best file manager for Windows, and we’re proud to be building it out in the open so everyone can participate. User feedback helps shape the features we work on, & the bug reports on GitHub help to make Files more reliable. Built and maintained by the open source community, Files features robust multitasking experiences, file tags, deep integrations, and an intuitive design. Installing and running Files Files is a community driven project that depends on your support to grow and improve. Please…
read the full Files overview →
About cryfs
CryFS 2.0 (Alpha) ⚠️ ALPHA VERSION WARNING ⚠️ CryFS 2.0 alpha is experimental software. You WILL lose your data. Do not use it for anything important. For stable CryFS, please use CryFS 1.0. You can find installation instructions for the stable version here. CryFS 2.0 is in an alpha stage that has not undergone extensive testing. Use it only for testing purposes and please report any issues in the GitHub issue tracker. What is CryFS? CryFS encrypts your files so you can safely store them in cloud storage services like Dropbox, iCloud, or OneDrive. Unlike other encryption tools that encrypt files individually…
read the full cryfs overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is Files or cryfs more popular?
Files has 46,481 GitHub stars and cryfs has 2,330. Files has the larger community by that measure.
Are Files and cryfs free?
Both are open source. Files is licensed under MIT and cryfs under LGPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Files and cryfs?
Files is written in C# and cryfs in Rust. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, Files or cryfs?
Choose Files if you want the larger community (46,481 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose cryfs if its feature set, stack or LGPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.