10 Self-Hosted Alternatives to Google Drive

Google Drive is convenient, but convenience has a price. Your documents live on someone else’s servers, the free 15 GB disappears the moment you add a few videos, and the terms of service grant Google a broad licence to everything you upload. If that trade-off no longer appeals, you can run the same kind of service on hardware you own.

Self-hosted file storage has matured to the point where it is no longer a compromise. The best projects now ship desktop sync clients, mobile apps, a proper web interface, versioning and share links — the features you actually use in Drive — while keeping the files under your control. Here are ten open-source options, from full collaboration suites to lightweight file servers you can set up in an afternoon.

What to Look For

Before you pick one, decide what you actually need. If you want a drop-in replacement for Drive, you need desktop sync clients and a web interface. If you only need to reach files from a browser, a lightweight file server will use far less memory. And if your goal is simply keeping several machines in step, a peer-to-peer sync tool may beat a full cloud suite entirely.

• Sync clients — desktop agents for Windows, macOS and Linux, plus mobile apps
• Sharing — public links, per-user accounts and fine-grained permissions
• Storage backend — local disks, network shares or S3-compatible object storage
• Collaboration — calendars, contacts, document editing and chat if you want a full suite
• Footprint — a PHP or Go service on a small VPS, or a single binary on a Raspberry Pi

1. Nextcloud

Nextcloud is the closest thing to a drop-in Google Drive replacement. Files sync between your devices with official clients for every major platform, the web interface handles previews, versioning and share links, and an app store adds calendars, contacts, video calls and collaborative document editing. It is a genuine productivity suite rather than a plain file store, and it is licensed under the AGPL-3.0.

It runs happily on a modest VPS or a home server, and you can keep data on local storage or push it out to S3-compatible object storage. See the full entry in our Nextcloud listing.

2. Seafile

Seafile organises files into libraries that sync independently, and its sync engine is noticeably faster than most rivals because it works at the block level and de-duplicates data both in transit and at rest. Encrypted libraries let you protect sensitive folders with a password even on a server you do not fully trust.

The community edition is released under the GPL-2.0, while a separate professional edition is commercially licensed. Desktop and mobile clients are available for all the major platforms. Read more in our Seafile listing.

3. ownCloud

ownCloud is the original project that Nextcloud forked from, and it remains a solid, well-supported platform with a long track record in universities and businesses. The web server core is AGPL-3.0 and handles files, WebDAV and syncing, with a broad ecosystem of apps and integrations around it.

If you want a stable, enterprise-friendly file platform with commercial support available, ownCloud is a sensible choice. Details are in our ownCloud listing.

4. OpenCloud

OpenCloud is a newer, entirely Go-based platform for file management, sharing and collaboration, built by the team behind ownCloud Infinite Scale. Because it compiles to a single set of services rather than a PHP stack, it boots fast and is light on resources, and its API-first design makes it straightforward to automate.

It is a young project, so the app ecosystem is smaller than Nextcloud’s, but it is being developed in the open under the Apache-2.0 licence. Find it at opencloud.eu.

5. Pydio Cells

Pydio Cells targets teams that need file sharing with serious governance. It is written in Go, licensed AGPL-3.0, and built around workspaces, granular permissions, single sign-on and auditing — the features you reach for when files matter to more than one person.

It is heavier to run than a plain file server, but it scales and it plays well with existing directories and identity providers. Learn more at pydio.com.

6. Syncthing

Syncthing takes a completely different approach: there is no server and no central cloud at all. Each device connects directly to the others, and files sync continuously over an encrypted link that no third party can read. There are no accounts, no subscription tiers and nothing to host if you would rather avoid running a server.

The trade-off is that Syncthing synchronises folders between machines rather than offering a browser-accessible drive, so it complements a cloud suite rather than replacing it outright. It is licensed MPL-2.0, and you can read more in our Syncthing listing.

7. Cloudreve

Cloudreve is a Go-based file management and sharing server that plugs into many storage providers behind one interface — local disks, S3-compatible object stores, OneDrive, and more. Users get quotas, permissions and share links, and the whole thing ships as a single binary under the GPL-3.0.

It is an excellent middle ground: closer to a real cloud drive than a bare file server, but without the overhead of a full collaboration suite. See cloudreve.org.

8. Filestash

Filestash is a universal file storage client — a clean web front end that you point at whatever backend you already have. SFTP, S3, WebDAV, FTP, and many cloud providers are all supported, so you can give colleagues a Drive-like interface without moving a single byte.

It is AGPL-3.0, written in Go, and particularly useful when you already have storage and only lack a friendly way to reach it. Find it at filestash.app.

9. Filegator

Filegator is a multi-user file manager written in PHP that needs no database at all, which makes it one of the easiest options to deploy on ordinary shared hosting. You get logins, per-user folders, upload and download, and a simple interface your less technical users will understand.

It is MIT licensed and deliberately small in scope: no sync clients and no collaborative editing, just dependable browser-based file access. Learn more at filegator.io.

10. Copyparty

Copyparty is a portable file server that fits in a single Python file. Run it against any directory and you immediately get a web interface with resumable uploads, de-duplication, thumbnails, a media indexer, and WebDAV, SFTP and FTP support on top.

Nothing needs installing beyond Python, which makes it ideal for a quick drop box on a NAS, a Raspberry Pi or a workstation. It is MIT licensed and lives at github.com/9001/copyparty.

Which One Should You Pick?

• Want a full Google Drive replacement? Start with Nextcloud, or OpenCloud if you prefer a lighter Go stack.
• Care about raw sync speed and large files? Seafile’s block-level engine is hard to beat.
• Need enterprise governance and SSO? Pydio Cells or ownCloud are built for it.
• Do not want to run a server at all? Syncthing keeps your devices in step with no central host.
• Already have storage and just need a web UI? Filestash is the shortest path.
• Want the simplest possible deploy? Filegator on shared hosting, or Copyparty on any machine with Python.

The Bottom Line

You do not have to accept Google’s terms to get the convenience of a cloud drive. Nextcloud offers the most complete replacement, Seafile the fastest sync, and Syncthing the simplest setup of all — and every one of them is free to run on hardware you already own.

Get started at nextcloud.com — free, no subscriptions, no account required.

Looking for more self-hosted software? Browse our Self-Hosted Apps directory for more free and open-source tools.