head to head · open source
sharp vs ImageToolbox
sharp has 32,817 GitHub stars, 1,447 forks, 123 open issues and last shipped 5 days ago. ImageToolbox has 15,296 stars, 659 forks, 0 open issues and last shipped yesterday. sharp leads on adoption by 115% (32,817 vs 15,296 stars). sharp is written in JavaScript under Apache-2.0; ImageToolbox is written in Kotlin under Apache-2.0. sharp has attracted 4% as many forks as stars, ImageToolbox 4%. ImageToolbox was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 2 topic tags (crop, exif), 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
| sharp | ImageToolbox | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 33K | ★ 15K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | JavaScript | Kotlin |
| Last push | 2026-10-29 | 2026-11-02 |
| Forks | ⑂ 1.4K | ⑂ 659 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick sharp if
- You weight community size — 33K stars and counting
- You want the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches JavaScript
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick ImageToolbox if
- You want the ImageToolbox feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Kotlin
- You evaluated both and ImageToolbox fits your workflow better
About sharp
sharp The typical use case for this high speed Node API module is to convert large images in common formats to smaller, web friendly JPEG, PNG, WebP, GIF and AVIF images of varying dimensions. It can be used with all JavaScript runtimes that provide support for Node API v9, including Node.js ( = 20.9.0), Deno and Bun. Resizing an image is typically 4x 5x faster than using the quickest ImageMagick and GraphicsMagick settings due to its use of libvips. Colour spaces, embedded ICC profiles and alpha transparency channels are all handled correctly. Lanczos resampling ensures quality is not sacrificed for speed. As…
read the full sharp overview →
About ImageToolbox
Image Toolbox 🗺️ Project Overview ImageToolbox is a versatile image editing tool designed for efficient photo manipulation. It allows users to crop, apply filters, edit EXIF data, erase backgrounds, and even enhance images with AI. Ideal for both photographers and developers, the tool offers a simple interface with powerful capabilities. 📔 Wiki Check out Image Toolbox Wiki for FAQ and useful info ✈️ Telegram Links [ ](
read the full ImageToolbox overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is sharp or ImageToolbox more popular?
sharp has 32,817 GitHub stars and ImageToolbox has 15,296. sharp has the larger community by that measure.
Are sharp and ImageToolbox free?
Both are open source. sharp is licensed under Apache-2.0 and ImageToolbox under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between sharp and ImageToolbox?
sharp is written in JavaScript and ImageToolbox in Kotlin. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, sharp or ImageToolbox?
Choose sharp if you want the larger community (32,817 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose ImageToolbox if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.