Nextcloud vs OpenCloud vs Seafile: which file cloud to host?

Pick Nextcloud if you want more than files: calendars, contacts, chat and office in one place. Pick OpenCloud if you want a file cloud only, with no database and low server needs. Pick Seafile if you sync large libraries and like its Git-style storage with versioning and encrypted libraries.

All three are open source, have desktop and mobile clients and run well in Docker. The differences are in what they try to be and how they store your files.

The short version

Architecture

Nextcloud

Nextcloud is a PHP application with a relational database. Files sit in a data directory as normal files, and the database tracks metadata, shares and the state of all the apps. Around the file core sits an app ecosystem: calendar, contacts, mail, Talk, forms, notes and hundreds more from the app store.

That design makes Nextcloud flexible. It also means more parts to look after: PHP version, database, background jobs, caching. The official Nextcloud All-in-One image reduces that to one Docker command and handles Nextcloud Office, Talk and BorgBackup backups from a web interface.

OpenCloud

OpenCloud started in January 2025 when the Heinlein Group in Berlin took the code of ownCloud Infinite Scale (oCIS) and continued it as OpenCloud, with many former oCIS developers. It is written in Go, and its README is direct about the main difference: "The OpenCloud backend does not use a database. It stores all data in the filesystem."

The storage drivers need a POSIX filesystem such as ext4, XFS or ZFS, or CephFS or NFS 4.2 over the network, and there is an S3 option. Logins go through OpenID Connect, either an external provider such as Keycloak or the built-in one. Fewer moving parts make backups and upgrades simpler. The trade-off is a much smaller app ecosystem than Nextcloud.

Seafile

Seafile organizes files into libraries and stores them in "a data model similar to GIT's", as the manual puts it: commits, file and folder objects, and blocks. Files are cut into content-defined chunks that average about 8 MB, and unchanged objects are reused between versions. Blocks can be stored on the local filesystem or in object storage.

The practical consequence: on the server, your files are not stored as readable files. You access them through Seafile, its clients or its tools. In return you get versioning built into the storage model and library-level encryption.

Sync

All three have desktop clients that keep a local folder in sync with the server and mobile apps for access on the go.

Seafile also has SeaDrive, a drive client that shows server files like a network drive without downloading everything. Seafile's chunked storage means a changed file is stored as new blocks plus references to the unchanged ones. We have not found an independent, current benchmark comparing sync speed of the three, so we won't rank them on speed. If speed matters for your data, test with a copy of your own folders.

Nextcloud's mobile apps can upload new photos and videos automatically. OpenCloud's desktop client syncs for offline work, and its mobile apps cover everyday file tasks.

Sharing and team features

Nextcloud has the most: internal shares, public links with passwords and expiry, groups, federated sharing between servers, plus the whole groupware side.

OpenCloud has Spaces, shared areas for teams that sit next to personal files, plus public links with optional password enforcement and a File Drop for uploads from outside. Calendars and contacts are possible through a Radicale integration.

Seafile shares at library and folder level, with share links and groups. Its Professional Edition adds features such as full-text search and advanced user management.

Office and editing

Nextcloud ships Nextcloud Office and also supports Collabora Online. OpenCloud integrates Collabora, and its docs describe a community-supported Euro Office setup. Seafile documents integrations for Collabora Online and OnlyOffice, and adds SeaDoc for lightweight collaborative documents.

In all three cases the office suite is a separate service. Plan the memory for it on top of the file cloud itself.

Encryption

Nextcloud supports end-to-end encryption through its clients, and server-side encryption as a separate option.

Seafile's encrypted libraries are encrypted on your computer when you use the desktop client, so the server admin can't read file contents. The manual lists the limits: file names, sizes and change history stay visible, the browser and mobile apps hand the password to the server, and a forgotten password means the data is gone.

If encryption at rest is what you're after, encrypting the disk the data lives on works for all three, OpenCloud included, and doesn't depend on the app.

Resource needs

OpenCloud is the lightest on paper. Its docs name a Raspberry Pi 3 class machine (1 GHz single core, 512 MB RAM) for up to 10 users, and a 2 GHz dual core with 8 GB RAM for up to 1,000 users.

Seafile Community Edition asks for 2 cores and 2 GB of RAM. The Professional Edition in its default Docker setup asks for 4 cores and 4 GB, mostly for search.

Nextcloud gives per-process numbers: at least 128 MB of RAM per PHP process, 512 MB recommended. Real usage depends on how many apps and users you have. Add the database, a cache and an office server, and a Nextcloud setup with office editing wants noticeably more than the other two.

Project activity

All three are active. In the dataset behind this site, Nextcloud's server repository had more than 900 commits in September 2026, and OpenCloud released v8.1.0 on 5 October 2026. Seafile's development is spread over several repositories, so commit counts from one repository don't tell the full story.

Which one should you choose?

Choose Nextcloud if you want to replace more than Dropbox: shared calendars for the family, contacts, a chat, document editing. Accept that it needs more server and more care.

Choose OpenCloud if you only want files, care about simple backups and want to run it on small hardware. Check that the clients do what you need before moving everything.

Choose Seafile if you have large libraries, want encrypted libraries or the SeaDrive client, and are fine with your files being stored in Seafile's own format on the server.

How to run them

On your own server with Docker: Nextcloud via All-in-One, OpenCloud and Seafile via their official Docker Compose setups. Back up before every major upgrade. Self-hosting for beginners explains the basics.

A managed host is the alternative. On blitz.cloud, Nextcloud and OpenCloud install in one click from its App Store, hosted in the EU with HTTPS included. A free plan without a credit card lets you try both, with apps sleeping after 30 minutes without visitors. Seafile is not in its store.

For more options, read self-hosted Dropbox alternatives or browse Dropbox alternatives.

FAQ

Is OpenCloud the same as ownCloud?

No. OpenCloud is a fork of ownCloud Infinite Scale, the Go-based newer ownCloud server, continued by the Heinlein Group since 2025. The classic PHP ownCloud is a separate product.

Which is faster, Nextcloud or Seafile?

We haven't found a current, independent benchmark, so we don't claim a winner. Seafile's block-based storage and Nextcloud's PHP stack behave differently, and the result depends on your files and hardware. Test with your own data.

Can I move from Nextcloud to OpenCloud?

Plan it as a manual move. You can copy your files over through the sync client or WebDAV, but shares, calendars and other app data need to be moved separately or set up again.

Which one is best for a Raspberry Pi?

OpenCloud. Its docs list a Raspberry Pi 3 class machine as enough for up to 10 users.

Are all three free?

Yes, all three can be self-hosted for free. Nextcloud also sells enterprise subscriptions, and Seafile sells a Professional Edition with extra features.