head to head · open source
Mole vs Edge-Drop
Mole has 67,838 GitHub stars, 2,386 forks, 6 open issues and last shipped today. Edge-Drop has 578 stars, 38 forks, 22 open issues and last shipped 5 days ago. Mole leads on adoption by 11,637% (67,838 vs 578 stars). Mole is written in Shell under GPL-3.0; Edge-Drop is written in TypeScript under Apache-2.0. Mole has attracted 4% as many forks as stars, Edge-Drop 7%. Mole 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
| Mole | Edge-Drop | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 68K | ★ 578 |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | Shell | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-09-20 | 2026-09-15 |
| Forks | ⑂ 2.4K | ⑂ 38 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick Mole if
- You weight community size — 68K stars and counting
- You want the GPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Shell
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick Edge-Drop if
- You want the Edge-Drop feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You evaluated both and Edge-Drop fits your workflow better
About Mole
Mole is an open source macOS utility that combines system cleanup, application management, and live monitoring into a single native app and CLI tool. It runs on macOS 12+ for both Intel and Apple Silicon, offering a unified interface for reclaiming disk space, uninstalling apps thoroughly, visualizing storage, and tracking real time system health. Built in Shell and licensed under GPL 3.0, it aggregates functionality found across several paid tools—CleanMyMac, AppCleaner, DaisyDisk, and iStat Menus—into one binary.
About Edge-Drop
Edge Drop is a free, Apache 2.0 licensed Windows desktop clipboard shelf that hides invisibly on the edge of the screen and springs open when the cursor approaches it, letting developers and designers drag text, links, images, and files directly into any application they are already using.
read the full Edge-Drop overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is Mole or Edge-Drop more popular?
Mole has 67,838 GitHub stars and Edge-Drop has 578. Mole has the larger community by that measure.
Are Mole and Edge-Drop free?
Both are open source. Mole is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Edge-Drop under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Mole and Edge-Drop?
Mole is written in Shell and Edge-Drop in TypeScript. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, Mole or Edge-Drop?
Choose Mole if you want the larger community (67,838 stars) or its GPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose Edge-Drop if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.