head to head · open source
Files vs Spacedrive
Files has 46,461 GitHub stars, 3,012 forks, 458 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Spacedrive has 39,386 stars, 1,370 forks, 57 open issues and last shipped 3 days ago. Files leads on adoption by 18% (46,461 vs 39,386 stars). Files is written in C# under MIT; Spacedrive is written in Rust under Apache-2.0. Files has attracted 6% as many forks as stars, Spacedrive 3%. Files was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 1 topic tag (file-manager), so they are genuine substitutes rather than adjacent tools.
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 | Spacedrive | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 46K | ★ 39K |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | C# | Rust |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-10-31 |
| Forks | ⑂ 3.0K | ⑂ 1.4K |
| 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 Spacedrive if
- You want the Spacedrive feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Rust
- You evaluated both and Spacedrive 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 Spacedrive
Spacedrive One file manager for all your devices and clouds. Powered by a Virtual Distributed File System, complete with apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android v2.spacedrive.com • Discord • Getting Started What is Spacedrive? Spacedrive is a cross device data platform. Index files, emails, notes, and external sources. Search everything. Sync via P2P. Keep AI agents safe with built in screening. Content identity — every file gets a BLAKE3 content hash. Same file on two devices produces the same hash. Spacedrive tracks redundancy and deduplication across all your machines. Cross device — see all…
read the full Spacedrive overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is Files or Spacedrive more popular?
Files has 46,461 GitHub stars and Spacedrive has 39,386. Files has the larger community by that measure.
Are Files and Spacedrive free?
Both are open source. Files is licensed under MIT and Spacedrive under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Files and Spacedrive?
Files is written in C# and Spacedrive 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 Spacedrive?
Choose Files if you want the larger community (46,461 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose Spacedrive if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.