ownCloud vs Pydio Cells (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, ownCloud grades higher than Pydio Cells: 2.4 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
ownCloud grades higher on the free plan and platforms. Pydio Cells grades higher on features. They get the same grade on value for money and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Pydio Cells
Open-core, self-hosted document sharing and content platform
Which one is for you
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
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
| 2.4GPAownCloudFair | 2.2GPAPydio CellsFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CCommunity is free but self-managed, which needs a server and counts as a C. Paid editions are quoted. | 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 | BCommunity is free with unlimited users, and there are 30-day and 14-day trials of paid editions. | CFree Home edition for home use and evaluation, plus a trial key on request. You host it on your own server. |
| Features | CFile sync and sharing with apps, but Community lacks the support and features of Enterprise. | BSharing, Collabora or OnlyOffice editing, SSO through OIDC, SAML and LDAP, and S3, Azure and Google storage back ends. |
| Ease of use | DYou install and update the server yourself unless you buy ownCloud Online. No store rating on record. | DYou install and maintain it yourself. No store rating is on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | AWeb, Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android apps, and 5 integrations listed. No Linux client is listed. | BWeb only, with real integrations: Collabora, OnlyOffice, SSO and cloud storage. |
| Best for | self-hosted file sync for IT teams | 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: ownCloud and Pydio Cells. How we grade
Where they differ
- Pydio Cells also covers workflow automation.
At a glance
| ownCloud | Pydio Cells | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | Not published | Not published |
| Free plan | Community edition: free, open source and self-managed, with unlimited users and community forum support only. | Pydio Cells Home is free, for home use and evaluation. |
| Free trial | 30-day free trial of the Enterprise features; 14-day trial of ownCloud Online | Trial key available for a limited period on request |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | ownCloud GmbH | Wire France SAS |
| Price read from | owncloud.com | pydio.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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
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.
Pydio Cells
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, ownCloud or Pydio Cells?
As of Nov 13, 2026, ownCloud publishes no starting price, and Pydio Cells publishes no starting price.
Which has a free plan, ownCloud or Pydio Cells?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both ownCloud and Pydio Cells have a free plan.
Which platforms do ownCloud and Pydio Cells run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only ownCloud lists macOS, Windows, 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.