Seafile
Seafile is a self-hosted cloud file sync and collaboration platform with a focus on reliability and performance. Built in C and Python, it offers client-side encryption, file versioning, and efficient sync that handles large files and millions of small files with ease. With its library-based architecture, Seafile organises files into independent encrypted libraries, each with its own permission settings, making it an excellent choice for teams and organisations that need secure data synchronisation.
Key Features
- Client-side encryption — Encrypt files with a password before they leave your device — the server never sees the decryption key
- Library-based organisation — Organise files into independent libraries, each with its own permission settings and encryption
- Efficient sync engine — Delta sync and block-level transfers handle large files (GB+) and millions of small files quickly
- File versioning — Automatic version history with configurable retention policies and snapshot restore
- Online file editing — Built-in Markdown editor and Office document preview with collaborative editing via OnlyOffice integration
- Drag-and-drop sharing — Share files and folders via links with password protection, expiration, and download limits
- Built-in Wiki — Create and edit wiki pages for team documentation directly within Seafile
- Cloud Drive mode — Access files on demand without syncing everything to your local disk
Why Use Seafile?
Seafile stands out for its performance at scale — the sync engine handles large files and deeply nested directory structures more efficiently than most alternatives. Client-side encryption means your data is encrypted before it ever reaches the server, giving you true zero-knowledge cloud storage. The library-based architecture provides natural isolation between projects or teams, making it ideal for organisations with multiple departments or clients.
Use Cases
- Secure file syncing for organisations that handle sensitive data requiring client-side encryption
- Team collaboration with per-project libraries, wiki pages, and document versioning
- Self-hosted alternative to Dropbox Business or Google Workspace for file storage
- Large media production environments handling big files across distributed teams
Platform
Linux · Docker · Web · Android · iOS · Windows · macOS · Raspberry Pi
Licence
GNU AGPL-3.0 (Community Edition)