FileRun vs Seafile (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, FileRun grades higher than Seafile: 2.6 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
FileRun grades higher on value for money and features. Seafile grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
FileRun
Self-hosted file sync and sharing app that runs on your own server
Seafile
Open-source file sync and share, self-hosted or in the cloud
Which one is for you
Pick FileRun if
- Fits if you have a server and want to keep control of your files
- Works for a team of 10 or more at a low per-user licence
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you do not want to run PHP and MySQL yourself
- Skip it if you want a free plan, as there is only a trial on request
- Watch out: each licence is tied to one domain name
- Watch out: the EUR 99 Home licence is for non-business use, five users and community support only
- Tight if you have under 10 users, as the small plan starts at 10 or 20
Pick Seafile if
- Fits if you can run a server and want free sync for 3 users
- Works for a small team that wants to start with Community and move up
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you don't want to host: both free editions run on your server
- Tight if you need audit logs, LDAP or full-text search, as Community lacks all three
- Watch out: Plus Cloud needs 3 users, and trial accounts are deactivated after 30 days
- Watch out: remote support is a separate plan at $5,000 a year or $120 an hour
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAFileRunGood | 2.4GPASeafileFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AEUR 9.9 a user a year, or EUR 99 once for the Home licence, far under the cheapest quarter. The storage and server are your own cost. | CThe free editions need your own server, so it counts as a C. Plus Cloud is $8 a user with a 3-user minimum, so $24 a month. |
| Free plan and trial | DTrial on request with no length stated, and a 30-day money-back guarantee. No free plan. | BCommunity is free and open source, and Professional is free for up to 3 users, though you host it. |
| Features | BWeb, sync apps and WebDAV, with every feature in every plan. Editing needs an office suite you connect yourself. | CFile sync and sharing, but Community lacks audit logs, LDAP sync and full-text search. |
| Ease of use | DYou install and maintain it on your own server with PHP and MySQL. No store rating on record. | DThe free editions need self-hosting. No store rating on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | AWeb, Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android, with WebDAV, ONLYOFFICE, Collabora, SSO and LDAP. | AWeb, Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone and Android apps, and 6 integrations. |
| Best for | a self-hosted file server for small teams | self-hosted file sync with a free edition |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: FileRun and Seafile. How we grade
Price against what you get
FileRun starts at about $0.92 a month for each person and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Seafile starts at $8 a month for each person and scores 2.3.
FileRun scores higher and starts $7.08 a month lower. Of the other file storage and sync services on the chart, 2 score higher than FileRun for less, and 24 score higher than Seafile for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- FileRun can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Seafile is open source, according to its own site.
At a glance
| FileRun | Seafile | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | €9.9 per user / year (annual subscription) | $8 per user / month (Plus Cloud Team plan) |
| Free plan | None | Community edition is free and open source; Professional runs free for up to 3 users; the cloud trial gives 1 GB for up to 3 users. |
| Free trial | Free trial available on request | Plus Cloud trial plan is free for 30 days; Professional trial licenses are sent on request |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | FileRun Lda | Seafile Ltd. |
| Price read from | filerun.com | seafile.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
FileRun
- You install and maintain it on your own server; it needs PHP and MySQL.
- Home license is for non-business domain names only and has no direct e-mail support.
- Licenses are tied to one domain name, and every plan includes all features.
- Prices are in euros; storage is your own disk and is not billed.
Seafile
- The Community edition lacks the Professional features such as audit logs, LDAP sync and full-text search.
- Professional pricing is per year; above 1,000 users it is by quote.
- Phone-style remote support sits in a separate paid plan at $5,000 per year, or $120 per hour.
- Plus Cloud needs at least 3 users, and trial accounts are deactivated after 30 days.
Key features
FileRun
- Uses your existing folders
- Manages files already on the server's filesystem without importing them, so they stay normal files that other tools can read.
- Sharing with roles and links
- Share with users, groups or outside e-mail addresses using seven roles, and send links protected by a password, expiry date or download limit.
- Sync, WebDAV and mobile apps
- Two-way sync for Windows, macOS and Linux, iOS and Android apps, and standard WebDAV access.
- Document editing
- Edit documents in the browser through ONLYOFFICE, Collabora Online, LibreOffice Online, Euro-Office, Google Docs, Zoho Docs or Microsoft 365.
- Sign-in and audit trail
- Connects to LDAP, Active Directory, OpenID Connect and SAML, and records each action with the IP address and program used.
- Branding
- Your logo, colors and wording throughout the interface, plus desktop and mobile apps carrying your own name.
Seafile
- File sync and sharing
- Libraries sync across desktop and mobile clients and can be shared with users and groups, with public links and version history.
- Online editing
- Office documents can be viewed and edited in the browser, with OnlyOffice and Collabora Online integrations in the Professional edition.
- Custom file properties
- Libraries can carry extra properties such as owner and status, shown in table, Kanban, gallery and map views.
- AI chat and search
- Full-text and semantic search, plus an AI chat that answers questions about the files in a library.
- Directory and security controls
- The Professional edition adds LDAP and AD sync, single sign-on, two-factor authentication, audit logs and remote wipe.
Plans
FileRun
Small business€9.9
per user / year, for 10 or 20 users
Installation help and community-based support, with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Medium business€9.9
per user / year, for 30 to 90 users
Adds Docker installation service and e-mail support, with a 24 working hour response on critical issues.
Large business€9.9
per user / year, for 100 or more users
FileRun installs and configures it for you; includes 9 free guest accounts per paid user and weekend support.
Home€99
one-time
5 user accounts for non-business use, with free updates for life and community forum support only.
Seafile
Community Edition$0
Free and open source, self-hosted, with file sync, sharing, version control and public links.
Pro, up to 3 users$0
Professional edition self-hosted for 3 users with no license file needed.
Pro, 9 users$100
per year in total for 9 users
Special offer for small businesses on the self-hosted Professional edition. Excludes email support.
Pro, 10 to 249 users$48
per user / year
Self-hosted Professional with email support. Price per user drops to $44 at 250 users and $35 at 750.
Plus Cloud Team$8
per user / month, from 3 users
Hosted by Seafile: 500 GB expandable storage and 3 months of file version retention.
Ways to pay less
FileRun
- Nonprofit
Free or reduced plans for public benefit work
FileRun says it will give nonprofit and public benefit organizations a free or heavily reduced plan, decided case by case.
- Lifetime license
Home license paid once
The Home plan is a single €99 payment with free software updates for life, for non-business use.
Seafile
- Education
Half-price Professional licenses for education
The educational price column lists $24 per user per year at 10 to 249 users, and a 25% discount is given to public institutions.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, FileRun or Seafile?
As of Nov 13, 2026, FileRun is cheaper to start with: about $0.92 a month for each person, against $8 a month for each person for Seafile. FileRun starts at €9.9 per user / year (annual subscription), and Seafile starts at $8 per user / month (Plus Cloud Team plan).
Which has a free plan, FileRun or Seafile?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Seafile has a free plan. FileRun does not, though it has a free trial.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.