QNAP myQNAPcloud vs Seafile (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Seafile grades higher than QNAP myQNAPcloud: 2.4 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
QNAP myQNAPcloud grades higher on ease of use. Seafile grades higher on the free plan and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money and features.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
QNAP myQNAPcloud
Remote access to a QNAP NAS, plus QNAP-hosted cloud storage
Seafile
Open-source file sync and share, self-hosted or in the cloud
Which one is for you
Pick QNAP myQNAPcloud if
- Fits if you own a QNAP NAS and want to reach it from outside
- Works for NAS owners who want a hosted backup copy
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you do not own a QNAP NAS, as it is not a standalone drive
- Watch out: capacity tiers and billing basis could not be read
- Watch out: the free amount named is 16 GB of storage, not remote access
- Skip it if you want phone and desktop apps, as none are listed
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
| 2.0GPAQNAP myQNAPcloudFair | 2.4GPASeafileFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CmyQNAPcloud One starts from $8.39 a month, but capacity and billing basis are not shown, so it cannot be set against the category. | 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 | C16 GB of hosted storage free, mainly for NAS backup. It is not clear that remote access itself is free. | BCommunity is free and open source, and Professional is free for up to 3 users, though you host it. |
| Features | CRemote NAS access, a SmartURL, shared links, hosted backup and S3-compatible object storage. It depends on owning a QNAP NAS. | CFile sync and sharing, but Community lacks audit logs, LDAP sync and full-text search. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record, and a NAS has to be set up first. | DThe free editions need self-hosting. No store rating on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb only on record, with Hybrid Backup Sync and QuTScloud. | AWeb, Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone and Android apps, and 6 integrations. |
| Best for | remote access and backup for QNAP NAS owners | 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: QNAP myQNAPcloud and Seafile. How we grade
Price against what you get
QNAP myQNAPcloud starts at $8.39 a month and scores 2.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Seafile starts at $8 a month for each person and scores 2.3.
Seafile scores higher and starts $0.39 a month lower. Of the other file storage and sync services on the chart, 39 score higher than QNAP myQNAPcloud 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
- Seafile is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- QNAP myQNAPcloud also covers file management.
- Seafile also covers file sync.
At a glance
| QNAP myQNAPcloud | Seafile | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $8.39 per month and up (myQNAPcloud One list price; capacity not shown) | $8 per user / month (Plus Cloud Team plan) |
| Free plan | MyQNAPcloud Storage offers 16 GB free, according to the product page. | 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 | None listed | Plus Cloud trial plan is free for 30 days; Professional trial licenses are sent on request |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | QNAP Systems, Inc. | Seafile Ltd. |
| Price read from | qnap.com | seafile.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
QNAP myQNAPcloud
- Remote access is built around owning a QNAP NAS; this is not a standalone consumer drive.
- The plan page loads its capacity tiers with JavaScript, so only the 'starts from USD 8.39/month' figure could be read.
- The page text we read does not state whether the remote-access feature itself is free; the free amount named is 16 GB of myQNAPcloud Storage.
- The roster entry points to QNAP's regional site; the product pages were read on QNAP's global English site.
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
QNAP myQNAPcloud
- Remote NAS access
- Sign in to the myQNAPcloud website in a browser and connect to a QNAP NAS over the internet.
- SmartURL
- myQNAPcloud Link gives the NAS a unique domain name, so manual DDNS setup is not needed, and a relay connection sits between the internet and the device.
- Shared links
- A file or shared folder can be shared quickly by link from the NAS.
- Hosted backup storage
- myQNAPcloud Storage is described as a backup target for QNAP NAS tools such as Hybrid Backup Sync, with object-lock immutability and 13 data centers.
- S3-compatible object storage
- myQNAPcloud Object is QNAP's S3-compatible service, sharing a quota with Storage under the One plan.
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
QNAP myQNAPcloud
myQNAPcloud Storage free tier$0
16 GB of QNAP-hosted file storage, mainly for backing up NAS data.
myQNAPcloud One$8.39
per month and up, capacity and billing basis not shown
Shared quota for myQNAPcloud Storage and myQNAPcloud Object. Charges are for storage only, with no fees for data transmission or API requests.
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
QNAP myQNAPcloud
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, QNAP myQNAPcloud or Seafile?
As of Nov 13, 2026, QNAP myQNAPcloud starts at $8.39 per month and up (myQNAPcloud One list price; capacity not shown), and Seafile starts at $8 per user / month (Plus Cloud Team plan). One is priced for each person and the other is not, so which costs less depends on how many of you use it.
Which has a free plan, QNAP myQNAPcloud or Seafile?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both QNAP myQNAPcloud and Seafile have a free plan.
Which platforms do QNAP myQNAPcloud 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.