Tool page

Nextcloud

Item: Nextcloud
Rating: 4.4

Your own Google Drive, Docs and Meet, hosted on your server.

Category: Business & Infra
Pricing: €0 · Open Source
How often: Now and then
My rating: 4.4 out of 5

Try Nextcloud (official site, new tab)

In short

Nextcloud is the self-hosting reference for file storage. If you already have a VPS, it is the obvious alternative to Google Drive.

Ideal for: Developers and entrepreneurs who want their data at home, not at Google or Apple
Use case: File storage and sync, calendar, contacts, collaborative sharing

What it costs

Entry price: €0. Prices taken from the official site, excluding tax.

What it costs
Plan	Per month	Per year	For whom
Self-hosted (Community)	€0	–	Developers and individuals with a VPS or NAS
Nextcloud Enterprise	Custom quote	–	Companies with compliance requirements and SLAs

Alternatives I ruled out

Alternatives I ruled out
Alternative	Why I did not keep it
Google Drive	Google Drive for ease and collaboration. Nextcloud for data sovereignty. Better at: Performance, Google Workspace integration, real-time collaboration, built-in AI Worse at: Your data sits at Google, storage quotas, cost at scale
Syncthing	Syncthing for pure device-to-device sync. Nextcloud for the full ecosystem. Better at: P2P sync with no central server, simpler to set up Worse at: No web interface, no link sharing, no companion apps

Strengths and limits

Pros

100% of your data under your control, GDPR-native, nothing stored with a third party
Unlimited storage depending on your disk capacity (no artificial quotas)
App ecosystem: calendar, contacts, notes, online office, video conferencing
Sync clients on every OS (macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android)
End-to-end encryption available for sensitive files

Cons

Performance depends directly on the quality of the hosting and the connection
Maintenance required: updates, backups, server monitoring
Initial setup curve: install, configure SSL, reverse proxy
Office apps (Collabora, OnlyOffice) are less smooth than Google Docs
Some third-party apps are poorly maintained in the Nextcloud App Store

Main features

Storage and sync: File sync across all your devices through desktop and mobile clients Access your files anywhere, automatic backup of mobile photos
File sharing: Share links with expiration, password and read/write permissions Share client files without going through WeTransfer or Dropbox
Calendar & Contacts: CalDAV calendar and CardDAV contacts synced with all your devices Replace iCloud or Google Calendar and keep your own data
Nextcloud Talk: Built-in video conferencing and chat Internal meetings without Zoom or Teams for small teams
Limit: Video performance below Zoom for large groups
Online office: Edit Word/Excel/PowerPoint documents through Collabora or OnlyOffice Open and edit Office documents without Microsoft 365
Limit: Less smooth than Google Docs or Office 365 online

Compatibility

macOS : compatible
Windows : compatible
Linux : compatible
iOS : compatible
Android : compatible
Browser : compatible
API : compatible
n8n : compatible
Zapier : not compatible

Frequently asked questions

Is Nextcloud really free?

When self-hosted, yes. You only pay for your server/NAS. Nextcloud Hub (managed cloud) is offered by partner providers.

How much disk space does Nextcloud need at minimum?

Nextcloud itself takes <1 GB. The space you need depends on what you want to store.

Is Nextcloud GDPR compliant?

Yes, when self-hosted your data stays on your server. No transfer to third parties by default.

Can you install Nextcloud on a Raspberry Pi?

Yes, but performance will be limited. Recommended for light personal use only.

Final verdict

The self-hosting reference for storage. If you have a server, it is the natural alternative to Google Drive.

I recommend it to: Developers and entrepreneurs with a VPS who want to control their storage and their data.
Not suited for: Users without server skills or who want a zero-maintenance solution.
Value for money: Excellent · 4.4 out of 5

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Coolify

Plan

Per month

Per year

For whom

Self-hosted (Community)

€0

–

Developers and individuals with a VPS or NAS

Nextcloud Enterprise

Custom quote

–

Companies with compliance requirements and SLAs

Alternatives I ruled out

Alternatives I ruled out
Alternative	Why I did not keep it
Google Drive	Google Drive for ease and collaboration. Nextcloud for data sovereignty. Better at: Performance, Google Workspace integration, real-time collaboration, built-in AI Worse at: Your data sits at Google, storage quotas, cost at scale
Syncthing	Syncthing for pure device-to-device sync. Nextcloud for the full ecosystem. Better at: P2P sync with no central server, simpler to set up Worse at: No web interface, no link sharing, no companion apps

Strengths and limits

Pros

100% of your data under your control, GDPR-native, nothing stored with a third party
Unlimited storage depending on your disk capacity (no artificial quotas)
App ecosystem: calendar, contacts, notes, online office, video conferencing
Sync clients on every OS (macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android)
End-to-end encryption available for sensitive files

Cons

Performance depends directly on the quality of the hosting and the connection
Maintenance required: updates, backups, server monitoring
Initial setup curve: install, configure SSL, reverse proxy
Office apps (Collabora, OnlyOffice) are less smooth than Google Docs
Some third-party apps are poorly maintained in the Nextcloud App Store

Main features

Storage and sync: File sync across all your devices through desktop and mobile clients Access your files anywhere, automatic backup of mobile photos
File sharing: Share links with expiration, password and read/write permissions Share client files without going through WeTransfer or Dropbox
Calendar & Contacts: CalDAV calendar and CardDAV contacts synced with all your devices Replace iCloud or Google Calendar and keep your own data
Nextcloud Talk: Built-in video conferencing and chat Internal meetings without Zoom or Teams for small teams
Limit: Video performance below Zoom for large groups
Online office: Edit Word/Excel/PowerPoint documents through Collabora or OnlyOffice Open and edit Office documents without Microsoft 365
Limit: Less smooth than Google Docs or Office 365 online

Frequently asked questions

Is Nextcloud really free?

When self-hosted, yes. You only pay for your server/NAS. Nextcloud Hub (managed cloud) is offered by partner providers.

How much disk space does Nextcloud need at minimum?

Nextcloud itself takes <1 GB. The space you need depends on what you want to store.

Is Nextcloud GDPR compliant?

Yes, when self-hosted your data stays on your server. No transfer to third parties by default.

Can you install Nextcloud on a Raspberry Pi?

Yes, but performance will be limited. Recommended for light personal use only.

Final verdict

The self-hosting reference for storage. If you have a server, it is the natural alternative to Google Drive.

I recommend it to: Developers and entrepreneurs with a VPS who want to control their storage and their data.
Not suited for: Users without server skills or who want a zero-maintenance solution.
Value for money: Excellent · 4.4 out of 5

Nextcloud

In short

What it costs

Alternatives I ruled out

Strengths and limits

Pros

Cons

Main features

Compatibility

Frequently asked questions

Final verdict

Other tools on the workbench

Stripe

Hostinger

Coolify

Nextcloud

In short

What it costs

Alternatives I ruled out

Strengths and limits

Pros

Cons

Main features

Compatibility

Frequently asked questions

Final verdict

Other tools on the workbench

Stripe

Hostinger

Coolify