Nextcloud vs Pydio Cells (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Nextcloud grades higher than Pydio Cells: 3.2 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Nextcloud grades higher on value for money, the free plan and platforms. They get the same grade on features and ease of use.
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
Pydio Cells
Open-core, self-hosted document sharing and content 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 Pydio Cells if
- Fits if you have an IT person to run a server and want SSO
- Works for firms that want files in storage they control
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you do not want to run a server
- Skip it if you want the free edition for work, as Home is for home use and evaluation
- Watch out: Connect and Enterprise prices are not published
- Watch out: which features sit in Home or Enterprise is in a separate table
How we grade them
| 3.2GPANextcloudVery good | 2.2GPAPydio CellsFair | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | CHome is free but self-hosted, and Connect and Enterprise are quoted by user count, so there is no figure to compare. |
| 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. | CFree Home edition for home use and evaluation, plus a trial key on request. You host it on your own server. |
| 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. | BSharing, Collabora or OnlyOffice editing, SSO through OIDC, SAML and LDAP, and S3, Azure and Google storage back ends. |
| 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 maintain it yourself. No store rating is 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. | BWeb only, with real integrations: Collabora, OnlyOffice, SSO and cloud storage. |
| Best for | running your own file sync on your own server | self-hosted document sharing with single sign-on |
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 Pydio Cells. How we grade
Where they differ
- Nextcloud also covers video calls.
- Pydio Cells also covers workflow automation.
At a glance
| Nextcloud | Pydio Cells | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Pydio Cells Home is free, for home use and evaluation. |
| Free trial | Nextcloud Enterprise can be tried for free, and an instant online trial is offered | Trial key available for a limited period on request |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Nextcloud GmbH | Wire France SAS |
| Price read from | nextcloud.com | pydio.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Nov 13, 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.
Pydio Cells
- Prices for Connect and Enterprise are not published; they are quoted by number of users.
- You host and maintain the software yourself, or buy a subscription for support.
- Which features sit in Home versus Enterprise is shown in a separate comparison table.
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.
Pydio Cells
- Real-time document editing
- Co-author standard document formats in the browser, powered by Collabora Online or OnlyOffice.
- Workspaces and Cells
- Files are grouped in workspaces and shared collaboration spaces, with access extended to external collaborators.
- Single sign-on and policies
- OpenID Connect, SAML and LDAP/Active Directory sign-in, with access rules by user, group, IP address, location or time.
- Multi-tenancy
- Separate configuration, data and identity per tenant on a single deployment.
- Cells Flows
- A workflow engine for automating tasks around files.
- Storage options
- The pricing page lists file system, S3, Google Cloud Storage and Azure Blob support.
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.
Pydio Cells
Pydio Cells HomeFree
For home use and evaluation, with web only, next business day support as the entry tier.
Pydio Cells ConnectCustom
Subscription for connecting all collaborators; priced by number of users, free trial and quote on request.
Pydio Cells EnterpriseCustom
Subscription aimed at privacy-conscious industries, priced by number of users; quote on request.
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.
Pydio Cells
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Nextcloud or Pydio Cells?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Nextcloud starts at 71.29€ per user / year, excl. VAT (from 100 users), and Pydio Cells publishes no starting price.
Which has a free plan, Nextcloud or Pydio Cells?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Nextcloud and Pydio Cells have a free plan.
Which platforms do Nextcloud and Pydio Cells run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Nextcloud lists macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android apps. Both list a web app. 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.