Best Self Hosted Alternatives to Filestash

AList is a web-based file listing and sharing application that unifies many storage providers behind a single interface. It provides browser access and WebDAV access, with rich previews and optional protection per path.

Key Features

• Connect multiple storage backends (local storage and many cloud and network providers)
• WebDAV server support for accessing files via standard clients
• File previews for common formats (images, audio, video, office documents, PDF, Markdown, code, plain text)
• Protected routes with password protection and authentication
• Web-based file operations such as upload, delete, create folders, rename, move, and copy
• Cross-storage copy and offline download support (including torrent-based offline download)
• Package/batch download support and download acceleration options
• Dark mode, internationalization, and permalink/direct download features

Use Cases

• Create a unified portal to browse and share files from multiple storage providers
• Provide WebDAV access to cloud drives for desktop and mobile file managers
• Publish media and documents with previews and optional per-folder access control

Limitations and Considerations

• Some storage providers may impose rate limits or account restrictions that can affect performance or reliability
• Feature availability can vary depending on the capabilities and APIs of each configured storage backend

AList is a practical choice when you need a lightweight, deployable file portal that aggregates many backends and exposes them through a modern web UI and WebDAV-compatible access. It is especially useful for homelabs and teams that want a single, consistent way to browse and download files across different storage services.

Puter is an open-source “internet operating system” that runs in your browser, combining a web desktop with personal cloud storage and an extensible app platform. It can be used as an alternative to services like Dropbox/Google Drive and as a remote desktop-style environment for servers and workstations.

Key Features

• Web-based desktop environment with file manager and app-style UX
• Personal cloud storage for organizing and accessing files from anywhere
• Extensible platform for building and publishing web apps, websites, and games
• App distribution model via an integrated app store concept
• Designed to be self-hosted for privacy-first deployments

Use Cases

• Replace proprietary cloud drives with a self-managed personal cloud
• Provide a browser-accessible workspace for a home server or NAS
• Host internal web apps and tools behind a unified web desktop interface

Limitations and Considerations

• Requires a modern Node.js runtime (the project targets recent Node.js versions)
• Resource usage and responsiveness depend on server hardware and the number of active users/apps

Puter fits teams and individuals who want a web-native desktop experience paired with file storage and a flexible app platform. It is especially useful for homelabs and private cloud setups where you want a single, browser-accessible workspace.

ownCloud is an open-source platform that provides secure file synchronization, sharing and team collaboration with integrations for calendars, contacts and external storage backends. It supports both classic ownCloud Server and the newer Infinite Scale architecture for larger deployments and modern APIs. (owncloud.com)

Key Features

• File sync and share with fine-grained permissions, public links, password and expiry controls. (owncloud.com)
• Virtual File System (VFS) / selective download for low local storage usage in desktop clients. (owncloud.com)
• External storage mounts: Amazon S3 (and S3-compatible), SMB/CIFS, FTP/SFTP, Google Drive, Dropbox and WebDAV backends. (doc.owncloud.com)
• Calendar and Contacts support via CalDAV and CardDAV, plus apps for mail, news and integrations. (doc.owncloud.com)
• Web-based office integrations (OnlyOffice, Collabora, Microsoft integrations) for real-time document collaboration. (owncloud.com)
• Admin tooling: occ CLI, app marketplace, audit/logging, LDAP/AD and OAuth2 authentication options. (doc.owncloud.com)

Use Cases

• Centralized, auditable enterprise file sharing and secure external collaboration with compliance controls. (owncloud.com)
• Teams collaborating on documents in-browser using integrated web-office connectors while retaining data control. (owncloud.com)
• Aggregating multiple storage silos (S3, SMB, cloud drives) into a single point of access for search and sharing. (doc.owncloud.com)

Limitations and Considerations

• SQLite is provided for testing or very small installs but is not recommended for production; MariaDB/MySQL or PostgreSQL are the recommended engines. (doc.owncloud.com)
• Some external-backend behaviors are limited by backend semantics (for example, S3-compatible mounts cannot be rescanned for manually added files in the same way as POSIX mounts). (doc.owncloud.com)
• Feature availability and commercial integrations (Oracle support, certain enterprise modules, certified deployments and support SLAs) differ between Community and Enterprise editions; assess edition-specific modules before deploying. (github.com)

ownCloud combines a mature open-source core with a broad ecosystem of apps and connectors for storage, calendars and collaboration. It is suitable for organizations needing data sovereignty, multiple storage backends and standards-based protocols for syncing and calendaring. (owncloud.com)

FileGator is a self-hosted, open-source web application for managing files and folders through a modern browser UI. It supports multiple users with roles and permissions and can work with local storage or external providers via storage adapters.

Key Features

• Multi-user accounts with roles, permissions, and per-user home folders
• Core file operations: upload, download, copy, move, rename, delete, create, edit, and preview
• Chunked, resumable uploads with drag-and-drop and progress indication
• Bulk download and on-the-fly ZIP/unzip support
• Pluggable storage backends (local filesystem and third-party storage via adapters)
• Designed to run without a mandatory database (depending on chosen adapters)

Use Cases

• Provide a simple web-based alternative to FTP/SFTP for teams
• Collect uploads from students, clients, or field workers into controlled folders
• Manage and transfer files across local and supported cloud/object storage backends

Limitations and Considerations

• Symlinks and file ownership changes (chown) are not supported in typical local adapter usage
• Very large numbers of files in a single directory can reduce performance

FileGator is a practical solution for browser-based file administration and sharing with access control. It fits well for small to mid-sized deployments that need a lightweight, extensible file manager with optional external storage integration.

Chibisafe is a modern file vault and uploading service designed to store files, photos, documents, and more, then share them via direct links. It focuses on performance with a robust API and chunked uploads to handle large files reliably.

Key Features

• Chunked uploads for large files to reduce failures on unstable connections
• Shareable direct links for uploaded files
• Albums/folders with share links
• Snippets/gists with direct links
• File management features including tagging
• User accounts, invite-only mode, quotas, and API keys for programmatic uploads
• Built-in URL shortener
• Admin dashboard to manage instance configuration (limits, rate limiting, allowed extensions, metadata)
• Integrations such as ShareX support, browser extension, and iOS shortcut
• Optional S3-compatible storage support

Use Cases

• Personal or team file drop for sharing screenshots, recordings, and documents
• Private media vault with folders/albums and lightweight file organization
• Programmatic uploads from scripts and tools using API keys

Chibisafe provides a polished UI and practical integrations while remaining flexible for public or controlled-access deployments. It is well-suited for anyone who wants an efficient, link-based alternative to hosted file sharing services.

Directory Lister is a lightweight PHP application for exposing the contents of a web-accessible folder through a clean, navigable web interface. It’s designed for quick deployment and simple configuration when you need to browse and share files over HTTP.

Key Features

• Zero-config, drag-and-drop installation for rapid setup
• Light and dark themes
• Customizable sorting for files and folders
• Built-in file search
• File hash display to verify downloads
• README rendering to show contextual information directly in listings
• Download a full directory as a ZIP archive
• Multi-language interface support

Use Cases

• Publish a simple download area for releases, assets, or shared files
• Provide an internal team folder browser for documentation bundles or artifacts
• Host a browsable index for static content on a web server

Limitations and Considerations

• Requires PHP 8.2+ and specific PHP extensions (Zip; DOM and Fileinfo for README rendering)

Directory Lister is a practical choice when you want a polished directory index without building a custom file portal. It focuses on fast setup and user-friendly browsing while adding useful extras like search, hashes, and ZIP downloads.

Cloud Commander is a web-based file manager that lets you manage files and directories from a browser. It includes a built-in command console and text editor, making it useful for lightweight server administration and remote file work.

Key Features

• Two-panel file manager interface with keyboard shortcuts
• Built-in command-line console for running OS commands
• Built-in text editors with syntax highlighting
• File operations: upload, download, copy, move, rename, delete
• Archive handling (pack and extract common formats)
• Optional authorization with configurable username/password
• Configurable via CLI flags and a JSON config file
• Can run on Windows, Linux, macOS, and Android (via Termux)

Use Cases

• Manage and edit files on a remote server without SSH client tooling
• Quick web-based file browser for a NAS, VM, or container volume
• Embed as middleware in a Node.js app to provide file management UI

Limitations and Considerations

• Terminal functionality requires installing an additional dependency (gritty) and enabling it explicitly

Cloud Commander is a practical choice when you need a browser-accessible file manager that also provides an integrated console and editor. It works well for small admin tasks, homelab environments, and developer workflows where a lightweight web UI is preferred.

ownCloud Infinite Scale (oCIS) is a cloud-native file sync and share platform designed as the foundation for an enterprise data management layer. It provides unified access to files and “spaces” across deployments while focusing on performance, scalability, and modern authentication.

Key Features

• File sync and sharing with a scalable, microservices-based backend
• Open, well-defined APIs including WebDAV and CS3 for interoperability
• Authentication via OpenID Connect with support for external identity providers and an embedded IdP option
• Integrations for web office suites (for example via WOPI gateways) to enable collaborative editing scenarios
• Flexible deployment as containers or a single binary, suitable from small servers to Kubernetes
• Configuration via environment variables and optional configuration files

Use Cases

• Replace or modernize an on-prem file sharing system with a cloud-native architecture
• Provide unified file access for teams across mixed on-prem and cloud storage environments
• Integrate file access into existing identity and collaboration ecosystems using standard APIs

Limitations and Considerations

• Some office integrations and collaborative editing depend on external components (for example WOPI gateway and office suite)
• Advanced identity and enterprise setups typically rely on an external IdP for full-featured deployments

Overall, oCIS targets organizations that need a modern, scalable alternative to traditional PHP-based sync-and-share stacks. It is best suited when standards-based APIs, OIDC authentication, and flexible deployment topologies are key requirements.

Mikochi is a minimalist remote file browser designed for self-hosted servers and NAS devices. It provides a lightweight Go API backend and a Preact/JavaScript web UI to browse, manage, download and stream files to external players.

Key Features

• Browse remote folders and view file metadata from a simple web UI
• Fuzzy filename search for quick file discovery
• Upload files, create folders, rename and delete items
• Download files and directories (directories are archived as .tar.gz)
• Stream media files to external players such as VLC or MPV via stream endpoints
• Simple authentication using environment-configured username/password and JWT; option to disable auth
• Multiple deployment options: single binary, Docker container, Helm chart for Kubernetes
• Small, opinionated feature set focused on low resource usage and ease of deployment

Use Cases

• Provide web-based access to files on a home NAS or self-hosted server
• Stream media to local players without a dedicated media server
• Share/upload files with trusted users in small deployments where complex permissions are unnecessary

Limitations and Considerations

• Authentication is basic (single username/password via environment variables); no built-in multi-user or role-based access control
• Lacks advanced permissioning, external identity provider integrations, or per-user isolation
• Search is filename-based (not full-text); large directories or heavy concurrent transfers may affect performance
• Directory downloads are provided as tar.gz archives only

Mikochi is best suited for users who need a small, easy-to-deploy file browser and simple media streaming on self-hosted infrastructure. It favors simplicity and minimal resource usage over enterprise features.

FileRun is a self-hosted private cloud storage and file management platform that lets you access, sync, and share files from your own server. It is designed to work directly with your existing filesystem (no special storage layer), focusing on performance, simplicity, and control.

Key Features

• Web-based file manager for browsing and managing files stored on the server filesystem
• Secure file sharing and collaboration features for teams and external users
• WebDAV support for syncing and integrating with desktop/mobile clients and third-party tools
• Large upload support with resume for interrupted transfers and efficient folder uploads
• Works on a wide range of environments (Linux/Windows servers, NAS, VM, Docker, bare metal)
• Pluggable authentication options including LDAP/Active Directory and OAuth2 (via plugins)
• Branding and UI customization (themes, logos, login page text, policy links)
• Online office integration options (for document viewing/editing using compatible services)

Use Cases

• Replace or complement consumer cloud drives with a privately controlled file portal
• Provide a central shared drive for small teams with web access and share links
• Publish a file-access layer over existing server directories without migrating data

FileRun is a good fit for users who want a fast, traditional “files-first” private cloud that keeps data in standard formats and works with common protocols and existing workflows.