Pydio Cells vs Seafile (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Seafile 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
Pydio Cells grades higher on features. Seafile grades higher on the free plan and platforms. 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
Seafile
Open-source file sync and share, self-hosted or in the cloud
Which one is for you
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
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
| 2.2GPAPydio CellsFair | 2.4GPASeafileFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CHome is free but self-hosted, and Connect and Enterprise are quoted by user count, so there is no figure to compare. | 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 | CFree Home edition for home use and evaluation, plus a trial key on request. You host it on your own server. | BCommunity is free and open source, and Professional is free for up to 3 users, though you host it. |
| Features | BSharing, Collabora or OnlyOffice editing, SSO through OIDC, SAML and LDAP, and S3, Azure and Google storage back ends. | CFile sync and sharing, but Community lacks audit logs, LDAP sync and full-text search. |
| Ease of use | DYou install and maintain it yourself. No store rating is on record. | DThe free editions need self-hosting. No store rating on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb only, with real integrations: Collabora, OnlyOffice, SSO and cloud storage. | AWeb, Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone and Android apps, and 6 integrations. |
| Best for | self-hosted document sharing with single sign-on | 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: Pydio Cells and Seafile. How we grade
Where they differ
- Pydio Cells also covers workflow automation.
At a glance
| Pydio Cells | Seafile | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | Not published | $8 per user / month (Plus Cloud Team plan) |
| Free plan | Pydio Cells Home is free, for home use and evaluation. | 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 | Trial key available for a limited period 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 | Wire France SAS | Seafile Ltd. |
| Price read from | pydio.com | seafile.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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
Pydio Cells
No public discounts listed.
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, Pydio Cells or Seafile?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Pydio Cells publishes no starting price, and Seafile starts at $8 per user / month (Plus Cloud Team plan).
Which has a free plan, Pydio Cells or Seafile?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Pydio Cells and Seafile have a free plan.
Which platforms do Pydio Cells and Seafile run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Seafile 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.