Nextcloud
Open-source file hosting and collaboration platform with apps for docs, calendar, and more.
Overview
Nextcloud is a open-source file hosting and collaboration platform with apps for docs, calendar, and more. It handles self-hosted, apps, collaboration, and e2e encryption, and it's best suited for organizations wanting self-hosted file storage and collaboration. It has been around since 2016, giving it a 10-year head start in building out integrations and refining the product.
The core product is entirely free. Since it's open-source, you can self-host for free with no user limits.
Strengths
- Open source and transparent
- Self-hosted deployment gives you full control over your data and infrastructure
- Fully open-source — you can self-host, audit the code, and avoid vendor lock-in
- The core product is free with no paywalled essentials
Weaknesses
- May lack some advanced features
- Self-hosting is free but requires server maintenance and DevOps knowledge
- Self-hosting requires Linux admin skills and ongoing server maintenance
- Syncing large folders can be slow and occasionally causes file conflicts
Quick info
- Category
- File Storage
- Starting price
- Free
- Free tier
- Fully free
- Open source
- Yes
- Best for
- Any size
- Founded
- 2016
Last updated 2026-04-12
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