head to head · open source
Seafile vs Sync-in
Seafile has 15,414 GitHub stars, 1,674 forks, 94 open issues and last shipped 18 days ago. Sync-in has 1,951 stars, 160 forks, 13 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. Seafile leads on adoption by 690% (15,414 vs 1,951 stars). Seafile is written in C under a custom or non-standard licence; Sync-in is written in TypeScript under AGPL-3.0. Seafile has attracted 11% as many forks as stars, Sync-in 8%. Sync-in was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 2 topic tags (file-sharing, file-sync), 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
| Seafile | Sync-in | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 15K | ★ 2.0K |
| License | Custom / other | AGPL-3.0 |
| Written in | C | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-10-16 | 2026-11-01 |
| Forks | ⑂ 1.7K | ⑂ 160 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick Seafile if
- You weight community size — 15K stars and counting
- You want the Custom / other license terms
- Your stack matches C
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick Sync-in if
- You want the Sync-in feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the AGPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You evaluated both and Sync-in fits your workflow better
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 →
About Sync-in
Website • Documentation • Demo • Docker setup • NPM setup • GitHub Server • GitHub Desktop & CLI Sync in is a self hosted platform for file storage, synchronization, and team collaboration. Run your own workspace for files, documents, shares, and collaborative work without giving up control of your infrastructure or data. Sync in is designed to stay fast, lightweight, and centered on your data, keeping files readable on your filesystem while adding collaboration features only where they are needed. Features 🖥️ Modern web interface with drag and drop, smart clipboard, gallery view, sorting, filtering, and…
read the full Sync-in overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is Seafile or Sync-in more popular?
Seafile has 15,414 GitHub stars and Sync-in has 1,951. Seafile has the larger community by that measure.
Are Seafile and Sync-in free?
Both are open source. Seafile has no licence declared in this registry, and Sync-in is licensed under AGPL-3.0. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between Seafile and Sync-in?
Seafile is written in C and Sync-in 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, Seafile or Sync-in?
Choose Seafile if you want the larger community (15,414 stars) or its Custom / other licence terms. Choose Sync-in if its feature set, stack or AGPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.