ProjectSend Cloud vs. ProjectSend.org

If you have run ProjectSend on your own server for a while, you have probably come across references to ProjectSend Cloud and wondered how the two fit together. Same name, same codebase - different deployment.

What Is ProjectSend.org?

ProjectSend.org is the open source, self-hosted file-sharing and client portal software. It runs on your own infrastructure, costs nothing to download, and is licensed under the GPLv2 license - which means you can use, modify, and redistribute the code freely, including for commercial purposes on your own server.

The project has been under active development since 2012 and has accumulated over 1,900+ stars on GitHub. The Docker image has been downloaded over 4.8 million times, and more than 4,000 instances run in production worldwide. You install it on a VPS, a dedicated server, or a shared hosting plan - and it is yours to configure and maintain on your own schedule.

What Is ProjectSend Cloud?

ProjectSend Cloud is the official hosted version of ProjectSend, operated by the same team that builds the open source project. You get the same client portal software - with your logo, your domain, client accounts, file permissions, and audit trail - without managing a server.

The Cloud version is a commercial product, but the Free plan is a real plan, not a trial. It is a personal account on a shared site: 2 GB of storage and a private link for every file, kept for 30 days, at no cost and with no time limit -- no client accounts or portal of your own. The Pro plan starts at $19 per month for a portal of your own with 25 active client accounts. Instead of charging per seat for each of your clients - the model used by tools like SmartVault or ShareFile - Cloud charges for active client accounts, which scales very differently for small firms. You can review all plan limits on the plans page.

Same Team, Same Code

The same team builds and maintains both ProjectSend.org and ProjectSend Cloud. Every Cloud subscription funds ongoing development of the open source project - which is why the license has stayed GPLv2 since the beginning, with no plans to relicence. You can learn more about the open source foundation on the open source section of the site.

This structure - a freely available open source project supported by an official hosted service - is sometimes called the .org/.cloud model. It is the same approach used by WordPress.org and WordPress.com, and by other projects where the open source community and the commercial offering move forward together on the same codebase.

What Do They Have in Common?

Both run the same core software. The features you know from a self-hosted ProjectSend install are present in the Cloud version: branded portal with your logo, client account management, file uploads and downloads with access controls, 2FA enforcement, and a full audit trail.

• Branded client portal with your logo and custom colors
• Per-client file access with 45 granular permission roles
• Two-factor authentication, enforceable by admin policy
• Audit trail showing who uploaded, downloaded, or previewed each file and when
• Resumable file uploads for large files (5 GB+ per upload)
• In-app notification center and email digest for clients
• GPLv2 source code: open, inspectable, and forkable

How Are They Different?

The main difference is who handles the infrastructure. With ProjectSend.org, you manage the server, SSL certificates, email deliverability, backups, and software updates. With ProjectSend Cloud, the team handles all of that.

• Server and infrastructure: your responsibility with .org, fully managed with Cloud
• SSL certificate and domain configuration: you set it up with .org, included with Cloud
• Email deliverability for client notifications: your SMTP setup with .org, pre-configured with Cloud
• Backups: your responsibility with .org, daily automated backups with Cloud
• Software updates: manual and on your schedule with .org, automatic with Cloud
• Cost structure: zero licensing cost with .org (you pay for hosting); $0 to $49 per month with Cloud depending on scale

Which One Is Right for You?

Self-hosting makes sense if you already have the infrastructure, a technical person on the team, and want full control over the configuration. Cloud is a better fit if you want a working portal today without a server to maintain.

If you are already running a self-hosted ProjectSend instance, there is no reason to switch unless the operational burden has become a problem. The .org version is actively maintained and receives the same core updates as Cloud. The most common reason self-hosters move to Cloud is friction: SSL certificates that expire at inconvenient moments, client notification emails landing in spam, or software updates that sit unapplied for months. If any of those sound familiar, Cloud removes them.

If you are starting from scratch, the question is how much you want to manage alongside running your firm. A solo accountant or a small photography studio that just needs reliable file delivery is unlikely to enjoy debugging PHP configuration on a server. For a deeper look at the trade-offs, see ProjectSend hosted vs. self-hosted.

Can You Switch Between the Two?

Yes - in both directions. If you want to move from your self-hosted instance to Cloud, the team migrates you for free in under 48 hours. Your users, client accounts, files, and configuration all transfer.

If you later decide to go back to self-hosting, you export your data and run the same software on your own infrastructure. There is no lock-in: the code is GPLv2 and freely available. The FAQ covers the migration details. The code is open. So is your exit.

The best place to start is the project itself. ProjectSend.org has the full documentation, the download, and the community forum - whether you are evaluating self-hosting for the first time or trying to understand how the Cloud version relates to what you already run.