Best Self Hosted Alternatives to UseSend

transfer.sh is a lightweight file sharing service designed for quick uploads and downloads from the command line. It provides simple HTTP endpoints that return shareable links and supports multiple storage backends for running your own instance.

Key Features

• Upload files via standard HTTP clients (for example, curl) and receive a shareable URL
• Optional download limits and retention controls via request headers (Max-Downloads, Max-Days)
• Multiple storage providers: local filesystem, S3-compatible object storage, Google Drive, and Storj
• Deletion support via a dedicated delete URL returned in response headers
• Optional server-side encryption/decryption via request headers (intended for trusted self-hosted use)
• Access controls and safety options such as IP allow/deny lists, rate limiting, size limits, and optional ClamAV prescan

Use Cases

• Sharing large files from servers or CI jobs without setting up a full collaboration suite
• Temporary transfer of logs, builds, or artifacts with automatic expiry and download caps
• Running an internal “pastebin for files” with configurable storage and access policies

transfer.sh is best suited for simple, ephemeral file exchange workflows where a minimal HTTP interface is preferred. With configurable storage backends and operational controls, it can be adapted for both personal and small-team deployments.

FilePizza is a web app for peer-to-peer file transfers directly between browsers using WebRTC. It avoids an initial upload to a central server, so files are not stored by the service and transfers can be fast and privacy-preserving.

Key Features

• Direct browser-to-browser file transfer over WebRTC (DTLS-encrypted)
• Shareable short/long links for recipients to download
• Multi-file uploads delivered to recipients as a ZIP
• Optional password protection for shared transfers
• Uploader-side progress monitoring and the ability to stop transfers
• Streaming downloads via a Service Worker
• Optional Redis-backed server state for channel metadata
• NAT traversal support via STUN and optional TURN (coturn)

Use Cases

• Sending large files without uploading them to a third-party storage provider
• Quick ad-hoc sharing of files between teammates or devices
• Temporary, link-based distribution where the sender stays online during transfer

Limitations and Considerations

• The uploader must keep the browser open until the transfer completes
• Practical file size limits depend on browser/device memory and stability
• Some networks/NAT setups may require TURN for reliable connectivity

FilePizza is well-suited for lightweight, ephemeral file sharing where you want direct peer-to-peer transfers and minimal server-side storage. It can be deployed as a hosted instance while keeping transfers end-to-end between participants.

PsiTransfer is a lightweight open-source server for self-hosted file sharing. It provides a minimal, mobile-friendly web UI and a small REST-like backend to upload, store and share files without accounts or logins.

Key Features

• No accounts or logins required; simple share-by-link workflow
• Resumable uploads (uses the tus upload approach) and streaming support for very large files
• Configurable retention/expiry per upload bucket and one-time-download option
• Download-all as ZIP or tar.gz archives generated on demand
• Password-protected download lists (AES-based protection for lists) and optional admin page for bucket info
• Minimal Vue.js frontend (small gzipped assets) and Pug templates for simple customization
• Docker image available for quick deployment; can also be run via npm/Node.js

Use Cases

• Share very large media files (video, datasets) with clients or collaborators without third-party cloud storage
• Temporary file exchange / dropbox-style ephemeral links for contractors, clients or teams
• Lightweight public upload portal for collecting files with automatic expiry and optional password protection

Limitations and Considerations

• End-to-end payload encryption is not implemented; files are stored unencrypted on the server unless you add external encryption wrappers
• "Download all as ZIP" does not support resuming downloads
• The project has had security advisories in the past (e.g., path-traversal / unrestricted upload issues) that were addressed in later releases; administrators should run up-to-date releases and follow secure deployment practices

PsiTransfer is suitable when you need a simple, self-hostable, resumable file-transfer endpoint without the overhead of full collaboration suites. It is focused on simplicity and large-file handling rather than advanced access controls or built-in end-to-end encryption.

Uguu is a simple, lightweight file hosting service focused on fast temporary uploads and sharing. It provides a minimal web interface for quick uploads and an API for automation, and can also be configured for more permanent hosting.

Key Features

• One-click uploads with no registration required
• Drag-and-drop and clipboard paste uploads in a modern, minimal web UI
• Upload API with multiple response formats (JSON, HTML, text, CSV)
• Compatibility with screenshot tools such as ShareX
• File extension and MIME type allow/deny listing
• Upload rate limiting and file hash blacklisting
• Works with common deployments (for example Nginx with PHP)

Use Cases

• Temporary sharing of files via short-lived links
• Automated uploads from scripts or tools using the HTTP API
• Personal or team upload endpoint for screenshots and quick file transfers

Limitations and Considerations

• Instances are often configured with file expiry/retention rules, which may not suit long-term storage without customization

Uguu is a practical choice when you need a small, straightforward upload service that is easy to deploy and operate. Its combination of a simple UI and a flexible API makes it suitable for both manual and automated workflows.

Hemmelig is an encrypted secret-sharing service designed to keep sensitive information out of chat logs and email threads. It uses a zero-knowledge approach where encryption happens in the browser, and the server only stores encrypted data.

Key Features

• Client-side AES-256-GCM encryption (zero-knowledge storage)
• Self-destructing secrets with configurable expiration and view limits
• Optional password protection for an additional security layer
• IP restrictions to limit access to specific IP ranges
• Encrypted file uploads for authenticated users
• Rich text editor for formatting secrets
• QR codes for easier sharing on mobile devices
• Webhook notifications for secret viewed/burned events
• REST API with OpenAPI specification, plus CLI for automation

Use Cases

• Securely sharing one-time credentials, API keys, and recovery codes
• Exchanging sensitive notes or documents with expiring access
• Automating secret creation and sharing in CI/CD pipelines via CLI/API

Limitations and Considerations

• The license is a modified MIT-style license that restricts offering the software as a competing hosted SaaS

Hemmelig is a practical alternative to sending secrets through persistent channels, combining strong client-side cryptography with expiration controls. It fits well for teams and individuals who need simple, auditable secret handoff workflows with optional automation.

FileSync is a self-hosted file sharing web application for sending files from one device to many recipients in real time. It uses peer-to-peer WebRTC transfers with end-to-end encryption so file contents are not relayed through an intermediate server.

Key Features

• Real-time file transfer from a single sender to multiple receiving devices
• Peer-to-peer transfers via WebRTC (data does not pass through the server)
• End-to-end encryption with optional room password protection
• Lightweight coordination server to help establish connections between peers
• Simple web UI for sharing, monitoring progress, and downloading received files

Use Cases

• Sharing large files across devices on the same network without uploading to a cloud drive
• Securely distributing files to a group during meetings, classes, or workshops
• Temporary, privacy-focused file transfer for teams and homelabs

Limitations and Considerations

• WebRTC peer-to-peer connectivity can be impacted by restrictive NAT/firewalls, potentially requiring additional networking infrastructure for reliable connectivity

FileSync is a practical option when you want quick, browser-based file sharing with strong privacy properties. It’s especially useful for one-to-many distribution where you want transfers to remain directly between participants.

QuickShare is a cross-platform file sharing and file management service designed for quick transfers between devices. It provides a web interface for managing files and folders, with multi-user support and sharing options for both authenticated and anonymous access.

Key Features

• Browser-based file and folder management (upload, download, create, delete, move)
• Resumable uploads and downloads
• Bulk uploads (hundreds of files at once)
• Fuzzy search for files and folders
• Directory sharing, including anonymous shares
• QR-code scanning to open shared folders on other devices
• Multi-user accounts with roles (admin/user)
• Per-user home directories, storage quotas, and upload/download speed limits
• Adaptive UI with internationalization support
• Can run as a single binary or via Docker

Use Cases

• Sharing files quickly across phones, laptops, and desktops on a local network
• Providing temporary or anonymous folder shares for teams or guests
• Hosting a simple personal file drop and download portal with user quotas

Limitations and Considerations

• The project is under active development and may not guarantee full backward compatibility

QuickShare is a good fit when you want a straightforward, fast file-sharing portal with practical management features and basic user controls. Its resumable transfers, QR-based access, and cross-platform deployment options make it especially convenient for everyday device-to-device sharing.

015 is a self-hosted temporary file and text sharing platform designed for one-time and short-lived uploads. It combines a modern Vue/Nuxt frontend with a Go backend and supports chunked uploads, frontend file-hash detection for instant transfer, and background processing for file tasks.

Key Features

• Chunked, high-performance uploads with frontend hashing and instant-transfer detection to avoid duplicate uploads
• Concurrent processing using frontend web workers and a backend worker queue for asynchronous tasks
• Image processing including automatic compression and preview support for images, video, audio, and documents
• Share management with configurable password protection, download count limits, expiration times, and pickup codes
• Download access control using JWT-based tokens and Redis for caching share metadata
• Responsive UI built with Vue 3, Nuxt 3, TypeScript and Tailwind CSS; backend written in Go with an Asynq-based worker system

Use Cases

• Quickly share large files or snippets as one-time or temporary links with expiration and access limits
• Public or private file drops with password or pickup-code protection for ad-hoc collaboration
• Automatic image compression and preview for sending media without manual processing

Limitations and Considerations

• Default storage uses the local filesystem; cloud object storage adapters are not provided out of the box
• Resume-upload behavior has partial support; backend-side resumed-part enumeration is listed as a planned improvement

015 is suitable for teams and individuals needing ephemeral, controlled file sharing without a third‑party service. It emphasizes fast uploads, access controls, and simple lifecycle management for temporary content.

goploader is a lightweight project providing a Go-based server and command-line client to share files from the terminal or via curl-compatible tools. Files are streamed and encrypted server-side so the server never retains the decryption key.

Key Features

• Server and CLI client implemented in Go with a minimal footprint
• Server-side AES encryption performed while streaming uploads to disk
• Encryption key generated per upload and never persisted on the server
• Curl/httpie/wget compatible multipart upload API and stdin support for piping
• Simple metadata stored in an embedded key/value datastore (BoltDB)
• Designed for HTTPS deployments; commonly run behind Caddy with automatic certificates
• Small, scriptable client binary (gpldr) for terminal workflows
• Files are streamed to avoid buffering entire uploads in RAM

Use Cases

• Securely share files from the terminal or within shell scripts and CI pipelines
• Provide short-lived encrypted file links to collaborators without storing keys on server
• Build lightweight, privacy-oriented file drop services for teams or personal use

Limitations and Considerations

• Project is maintained as-is and some dependencies and approaches are dated; review before production use
• Uses an embedded BoltDB datastore which may require migration for heavy workloads or long-term maintenance
• No built-in user accounts, ACLs, or advanced access controls; link-based access only
• The default deployment relies on external HTTPS configuration (e.g., Caddy); secure deployment requires proper TLS setup
• The server may log uploader IPs depending on configuration; encryption keys are not retained

goploader is a pragmatic tool for terminal-first, privacy-focused file sharing, prioritizing streamed encryption and simplicity. It is suitable for personal or small-team use where short-lived encrypted links and scriptability are more important than advanced access control or enterprise features.

Files Sharing is a lightweight, self-hosted file sharing application built on Laravel. It provides WeTransfer-like bundles that can be previewed or downloaded and stores bundle metadata as JSON files in storage to avoid a full database dependency.

Key Features

• Bundle-based sharing with two link types: preview (view & ZIP) and direct download
• JSON-based storage for bundle metadata (no mandatory database) and optional SQLite support
• Authorization codes and optional password protection for bundle access
• Uploader access control via IP allowlist and/or user login credentials
• Expiration, max-download counters and a background garbage collector to remove expired bundles
• Download rate limiting and optional ZIP archive download of an entire bundle
• Drag-and-drop uploads with support for multiple files and incremental additions to existing bundles
• Multilingual UI (English, French, German, Korean) and Docker / Docker Compose deployment

Use Cases

• Securely send large files to external recipients with expiring, code-protected links
• Temporary client delivery of assets where download counts and expirations must be enforced
• Internal transfers in small teams or projects without deploying a full database-backed file service

Limitations and Considerations

• Designed for small-to-medium workloads: JSON file metadata and synchronous ZIP creation can limit scalability under heavy concurrent use
• Large-file handling requires tuning PHP and webserver settings (post_max_size, upload_max_filesize, client_max_body_size) and appropriate memory limits
• Background cleanup relies on the Laravel scheduler or cron to run periodic purge commands
• Some optional features (hashing for duplicate detection) are limited by configurable file-size thresholds to avoid high CPU/memory costs

Files Sharing provides a pragmatic, easy-to-deploy solution for temporary file distribution and controlled uploads. It is suitable for self-hosted use where simplicity and minimal infrastructure are priorities, with Docker images and a straightforward standalone install path.

Uploady is a lightweight PHP file uploader and sharing script that provides a web UI and an API for uploading and managing files. It includes an admin panel with stats, role-based user controls, and multiple protection layers for uploads.

Key Features

• Multi-file upload support with drag-and-drop and traditional file selection
• Four protection levels for uploads: MIME type, extensions, size limits, and forbidden names
• Admin panel with charts, usage statistics, pages management, and role-based user management with per-role storage limits
• Image manipulation and basic media handling (thumbnailing/processing) and EXIF support
• Configurable retention: delete files after X days or after X downloads
• API endpoint with API key support for programmatic uploads
• Customization: multi-language support, custom CSS/JS, custom logo and favicon
• Integrations and monetization hooks: Google Analytics and AdSense support
• Docker-compose deployment and straightforward installation using PHP + MySQL

Use Cases

• Public or private file-sharing site for teams or communities with simple admin controls
• Embedded file upload endpoint for web apps or services using the provided API
• Temporary file hosting with automatic expiration and per-role quotas

Limitations and Considerations

• Primary storage is local filesystem; cloud object storage (S3) integration is listed as backlog
• Uses a traditional PHP + Bootstrap + jQuery stack which may require modernization for large deployments
• Lacks built-in malware scanning and advanced enterprise features; malware scanning is on the roadmap

Uploady is suitable for small to medium self-hosted file-sharing needs where quick setup and simple administration are priorities. It is extensible via its API and configurable through PHP configuration files.

Shifter is a lightweight, self-hosted file sharing web application built with Django and Tailwind CSS. It provides a simple web UI to upload files, create shareable download links, and manage uploads and account permissions.

Key Features

• Web-based multi-file uploads with client-side upload handling and automatic zip archive creation for multiple files
• Configurable expiring download links and automatic deletion of expired files
• User accounts with the ability to create multiple upload accounts and an admin interface for site settings
• Admin controls for maximum file size, default expiry times, and file management (delete or extend)
• Deployable via Docker and Docker Compose; supports local SQLite by default and optional PostgreSQL for production
• Uses modern frontend tooling (Tailwind CSS and JavaScript upload libraries) for a responsive UI

Use Cases

• Temporary large-file sharing between colleagues or external collaborators without relying on third-party services
• A small team or organization hosting a simple file drop service with expiry policies and admin oversight
• Developers or testers needing an easy-to-deploy file sharing endpoint for CI artifacts or build outputs

Limitations and Considerations

• Project is under active development; some features are incomplete and the README notes it may not be production-ready for all use cases
• Default deployment uses SQLite which is fine for small installs but not recommended for high-concurrency production without switching to PostgreSQL
• No built-in object storage integrations documented by default; verify storage configuration and backup strategy before production use

Shifter is suited for users who want a minimal, self-hosted file sharing endpoint with expiry and admin controls. It is straightforward to deploy with Docker Compose and can be adapted to production by enabling PostgreSQL and reviewing configuration settings.

Send is a self-hostable file sharing service designed for sending files securely via shareable links. It encrypts files client-side so the server stores only encrypted data, and supports link expiration and download limits to reduce data exposure.

Key Features

• Client-side encryption for end-to-end encrypted file transfers
• Shareable links with configurable expiration time
• Download limits to automatically invalidate links after a set number of downloads
• Optional password protection for shared files
• Simple web interface focused on quick uploads and sharing

Use Cases

• Securely sharing sensitive documents with time-limited access
• Sending large files without giving recipients permanent storage access
• Temporary file exchange for teams or external collaborators

Limitations and Considerations

• Browser-based encryption means very large files may be constrained by client memory and device performance
• Requires JavaScript in the client for encryption and upload workflows

Send is well-suited for organizations and individuals who want a straightforward, privacy-focused alternative to traditional file sharing. It emphasizes minimizing server-side trust while keeping the sharing workflow simple and fast.

Jirafeau is a lightweight, self-hosted web application for uploading and sharing files via unique links. It focuses on simplicity and privacy-friendly sharing, with minimal external dependencies and straightforward administration.

Key Features

• Upload files through a simple web interface and share them via generated links
• Optional one-time download links to reduce unintended redistribution
• Expiration controls (time-based and/or download-count based, depending on configuration)
• Optional password protection for shared files
• Basic administration features such as managing uploads and storage settings
• Designed to run with common web stacks without requiring a database

Use Cases

• Share large files with colleagues or clients without using third-party services
• Provide one-off delivery links for sensitive documents
• Run a small internal “dropbox-style” upload portal for a team or organization

Limitations and Considerations

• Feature set is intentionally minimal compared to full sync-and-share platforms
• Storage and retention behavior depends on server configuration and available disk space

Jirafeau is a good fit when you need a small, dependable file-sharing tool that is easy to deploy and operate. Its link-based model and optional one-time downloads make it particularly useful for controlled, temporary file delivery.