Nextcloud
Self-hosted content collaboration platform
Nextcloud is a file storage & sharing tool for Enterprise and Developers, offered as open source. Founded in Germany in 2016.
About Nextcloud
Nextcloud is an open-source, self-hosted collaboration platform developed by Nextcloud GmbH in Stuttgart, Germany. It started in 2016 as a fork of ownCloud led by Frank Karlitschek and has become the best-known alternative to Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 for organizations that want to keep their data on their own infrastructure.
The core is file sync and share with desktop and mobile clients, versioning, sharing links and fine-grained permissions. Nextcloud Hub adds online office editing through Nextcloud Office (based on Collabora) or ONLYOFFICE, Talk for chat and video calls, calendar, contacts, mail, Deck boards and groupware, plus a large app store. Security features include server-side and end-to-end encryption, two-factor authentication and LDAP or SAML integration, and Nextcloud Assistant offers AI features that can run on local models. The community edition is free; Nextcloud Enterprise is a subscription that adds support, long-term maintenance and enterprise features.
Nextcloud fits governments, universities, healthcare and companies with data sovereignty or compliance requirements, and technically skilled individuals running a home server. The cost is operational: someone must install, tune, update and back it up, and the interface is less polished than Google's or Microsoft's. ownCloud and Seafile are comparable self-hosted options, while managed Nextcloud hosting from partners can reduce the maintenance burden.
Key features of Nextcloud
- File sync and share
- Office editing via Collabora/OnlyOffice
- Talk chat and video
- Calendar and contacts
- End-to-end encryption
- Apps ecosystem
Pros and cons
Pros
- Full data control
- All-in-one suite
- Open source
- Strong in Europe
Cons
- Self-hosting effort
- Performance tuning
- UI less polished than Google
- Updates need care
Nextcloud pricing
Nextcloud uses a open source model.
| Plan | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Community | $0 | Self-hosted, AGPL |
| Enterprise Standard | €71.29 / user/yr | 100+ users min; excl. VAT; €53.17 at 200+ |
| Enterprise Premium | €104.99 / user/yr | 100+ users; extended support |
| Enterprise Ultimate | €204.75 / user/yr | 100+ users; Assistant, Flow, 24/7 |
| Talk Standard | €42 / user/yr | 100+ users |
Source: nextcloud.com · checked on Oct 20, 2026
How Nextcloud compares in File storage & sharing
- Rank by votes
- #1 / 16
- Starting price
- $0
- Free alternatives
- 1
0 votes from members
Category median is $7/mo
Free or open-source tools in File storage & sharing
Nextcloud ranks #1 of 16 file storage & sharing tools by community votes and is not directly comparable on price.
Common use cases
- 1Government data sovereignty
- 2University file sharing
- 3Company replacing Google Drive
- 4Home server
Best for
Organizations needing self-hosted collaboration.
Not ideal for
Teams wanting zero maintenance.
Integrations
- Collabora Online
- OnlyOffice
- LDAP
- SAML
- S3
- Talk
- Calendar
Our take
Nextcloud is the sovereign alternative to Google Workspace.
FAQ
- What is Nextcloud?
- Nextcloud is a File storage & sharing tool: Self-hosted content collaboration platform.
- How much does Nextcloud cost?
- Nextcloud is Open source; there is no mandatory paid plan.
- What does Nextcloud integrate with?
- Nextcloud integrates with Collabora Online, OnlyOffice, LDAP, SAML, S3, Talk and more.
- Which platforms does Nextcloud support?
- Nextcloud is available on web, macos, windows, ios, android.
- Who is Nextcloud for?
- Organizations needing self-hosted collaboration.
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