Nextcloud vs ownCloud (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Nextcloud grades higher than ownCloud: 3.2 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Nextcloud grades higher on value for money, the free plan and features. 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.
Nextcloud
Open source, self-hosted file sync and collaboration platform
Which one is for you
Pick Nextcloud if
- Fits if your files have to stay on a server you control, as at a school or public body with data rules
- Works for technical people who are happy running a server or a Docker image
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you just want to sign up and start syncing, as Nextcloud doesn't host your data itself
- Not for you if nobody on hand can look after installs, updates and backups
- Tight if you're a small team wanting official support, since Enterprise subscriptions start at 100 users
- Pricey if you want Talk, groupware or the office suites under Enterprise, as they cost extra there
- Watch out: Enterprise prices are in euros per user per year before VAT, from 71.29€
Pick ownCloud if
- Fits if you have someone who can run a server and want files on your own hardware
- Works for an organisation that needs unlimited users on Community
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you don't want to run a server: you host and update it yourself
- Skip it if you need support, as Community has the forum only
- Watch out: Enterprise and Standard start at 25 users with a yearly commitment
- Watch out: no price is published for Enterprise, Standard or ownCloud Online
How we grade them
| 3.2GPANextcloudVery good | 2.4GPAownCloudFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AThe server software is free under the AGPL, and so are the desktop and phone apps, in a category whose middle plan is $5 a month per person for ever. You supply the server. The paid Enterprise subscriptions buy support, and they start at 100 users from 71.29€ a user a year before VAT. | CCommunity is free but self-managed, which needs a server and counts as a C. Paid editions are quoted. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree outright, not a plan with walls: the whole server, every app and community support, with no user cap and no feature held back for payers. There's an instant online trial too, if you want a look before installing anything. | BCommunity is free with unlimited users, and there are 30-day and 14-day trials of paid editions. |
| Features | BSync and share, Talk for chat and calls, groupware, and documents edited together through Collabora or Euro-Office. Two things in the listing hold it back, though: Nextcloud hosts nothing for you, and in Enterprise plans Talk, groupware and the office suites cost extra. | CFile sync and sharing with apps, but Community lacks the support and features of Enterprise. |
| Ease of use | DYou host it yourself, which is the definition of a hard start: installation, updates and backups are yours, even with the All-in-One Docker image to lean on. The iPhone app's 4.7 from about 10,400 ratings is about the app, not the server behind it. | DYou install and update the server yourself unless you buy ownCloud Online. No store rating on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | AWeb, Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone and Android, the full set, and it talks to Collabora Online, Euro-Office, Thinkfree Office, Microsoft Teams and Microsoft's Office Online Server. | AWeb, Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android apps, and 5 integrations listed. No Linux client is listed. |
| Best for | running your own file sync on your own server | self-hosted file sync for IT teams |
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: Nextcloud and ownCloud. How we grade
Where they differ
- Nextcloud also covers video calls.
At a glance
| Nextcloud | ownCloud | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | 71.29€ per user / year, excl. VAT (from 100 users) | Not published |
| Free plan | The Nextcloud server software is free to download and self-host under the AGPL license, and the Nextcloud desktop and mobile apps are free. | Community edition: free, open source and self-managed, with unlimited users and community forum support only. |
| Free trial | Nextcloud Enterprise can be tried for free, and an instant online trial is offered | 30-day free trial of the Enterprise features; 14-day trial of ownCloud Online |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Nextcloud GmbH | ownCloud GmbH |
| Price read from | nextcloud.com | owncloud.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Nextcloud
- Nextcloud does not host data itself: you self-host, sign up with a third-party provider, or use the partner-run Nextcloud One service.
- Enterprise subscriptions are available only from 100 users, with prices in euros per year excluding VAT.
- In Enterprise plans, Talk, Groupware and the office suites are optional components that cost extra.
- Running the free server means handling installation, updates and backups yourself.
ownCloud
- Prices for Enterprise, Standard and ownCloud Online are not published; the page gives only a figure from EUR 1.85 per user per year for large or education deployments.
- The Community edition has no customer support beyond the forum.
- Enterprise and Standard start at 25 users with a yearly commitment.
- You run and update the server yourself unless you buy ownCloud Online.
Key features
Nextcloud
- Nextcloud Files
- File sync and share across platforms, internally and with third parties. Desktop clients keep one or more local folders synchronized with the server.
- Self-hosting
- The server runs on your own hardware or private cloud. Nextcloud GmbH maintains an All-in-One Docker image intended for home or cloud installs.
- Nextcloud Talk
- Group chat, calls, screen sharing and web conferencing. In Enterprise subscriptions Talk is an optional component at extra cost, listed from 42€ per user / year.
- Office document editing
- Office documents can be edited together inside Nextcloud through Euro-Office, Collabora Online or Thinkfree Office, each an optional extra in Enterprise plans.
- Nextcloud Assistant and Flow
- A local AI assistant summarizes email threads, suggests text and translates chat messages, and Flow automates workflows. Both are included in Enterprise Ultimate only.
- Enterprise capabilities
- SAML authentication, Windows Network Drive support, password policies and audit-ready logging are included in every Enterprise subscription.
ownCloud
- Self-hosted file sync and share
- The server runs on your own infrastructure, with desktop apps for Finder or Explorer and mobile apps for Android and iOS.
- Open source core
- The Community edition is 100% open source and has no user cap; Enterprise adds a commercial license for core and enterprise modules.
- Hosted option in Germany
- ownCloud Online hosts storage in Germany, with 180 days of file recovery, multi-factor authentication and guest accounts.
- Office editing integrations
- The site lists Collabora Online, ONLYOFFICE and Microsoft 365 integrations for editing documents in the browser.
- Enterprise support
- Paid editions include a customer portal and email support with a stated 2-hour reaction time.
Plans
Nextcloud
Nextcloud serverFree
Open source server software to host yourself, with free desktop and mobile apps and community support.
Enterprise Standard71.29€
per user / year, excl. VAT, starting at 100 users
Nextcloud Files with enterprise capabilities, a 1-year maintenance life cycle and a 2-business-day reaction time.
Enterprise Premium104.99€
per user / year, excl. VAT, starting at 100 users
Adds a 5+ year maintenance life cycle, 1-business-day reaction time, upgrade stand-by support and support for clustered instances.
Enterprise Ultimate204.75€
per user / year, excl. VAT, starting at 100 users
Adds Nextcloud Assistant, Flow and Whiteboard, reaction times from 1 hour and phone support up to 24/7.
ownCloud
Community$0
Self-managed on your own server, unlimited users, community apps and forum. No customer support.
EnterpriseCustom
From 25 users, yearly commitment, 12x5 phone and email support with 2-hour reaction, pro app features. No price published.
StandardCustom
From 25 users, on-premises, yearly commitment, 9x5 email support with 2-hour reaction. Contact sales; no price published.
ownCloud OnlineCustom
Hosted in Germany. 1,000 GB for teams from 5 users, 500 GB for 1 to 4 users. The page shows no prices.
Ways to pay less
Nextcloud
- Other savings
Lower per-user price from 200 users
From 200 users the listed Enterprise prices fall to 53.17€ for Standard, 81.99€ for Premium and 183.75€ for Ultimate, per user / year.
- Education
Education program, priced by quote
The pricing page lists an Education program for schools, universities and other educational institutes, alongside a Public Sector program. Both are quoted on request.
ownCloud
- Education
Special pricing for large and education deployments
ownCloud quotes individual pricing for large deployments and educational institutions, starting at EUR 1.85 per user per year.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Nextcloud or ownCloud?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Nextcloud starts at 71.29€ per user / year, excl. VAT (from 100 users), and ownCloud publishes no starting price.
Which has a free plan, Nextcloud or ownCloud?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Nextcloud and ownCloud have a free plan.
Which platforms do Nextcloud and ownCloud run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Nextcloud lists a Linux app. Both list a web app and macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
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.