head to head · open source
Files vs Seafile
Files has 46,461 GitHub stars, 3,012 forks, 458 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Seafile has 15,414 stars, 1,674 forks, 94 open issues and last shipped 18 days ago. Files leads on adoption by 201% (46,461 vs 15,414 stars). Files is written in C# under MIT; Seafile is written in C under a custom or non-standard licence. Files has attracted 6% as many forks as stars, Seafile 11%. 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 | Seafile | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 46K | ★ 15K |
| License | MIT | Custom / other |
| Written in | C# | C |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-10-16 |
| Forks | ⑂ 3.0K | ⑂ 1.7K |
| 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 Seafile if
- You want the Seafile feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Custom / other license terms
- Your stack matches C
- You evaluated both and Seafile 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 Seafile
Introduction Seafile is an open source cloud storage system with privacy protection and teamwork features. Collections of files are called libraries. Each library can be synced separately. A library can also be encrypted with a user chosen password. Seafile also allows users to create groups and easily sharing files into groups. Beyond sync and share, Seafile provides advanced metadata management features and handy collaboration features. Feature Summary Seafile has the following features: File syncing 1. Selective sync for any folder. 2. Correctly handles file conflicts based on history instead of timestamp. 3…
read the full Seafile overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is Files or Seafile more popular?
Files has 46,461 GitHub stars and Seafile has 15,414. Files has the larger community by that measure.
Are Files and Seafile free?
Both are open source. Files is licensed under MIT, and Seafile has no licence declared in this registry. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between Files and Seafile?
Files is written in C# and Seafile in C. 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 Seafile?
Choose Files if you want the larger community (46,461 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose Seafile if its feature set, stack or Custom / other licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.