Seafile vs Synology Drive (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Seafile grades higher than Synology Drive: 2.4 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Seafile grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money, features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Seafile
Open-source file sync and share, self-hosted or in the cloud
Synology Drive
Private-cloud file sync and sharing that runs on a Synology NAS
Which one is for you
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
Pick Synology Drive if
- Fits if you already own a Synology NAS and want your own sync
- Works for a home or office that wants files kept on its own hardware
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you don't own a Synology NAS, as there is no hosted option
- Tight if you want unlimited users: maximum and concurrent users vary by NAS model
- Watch out: desktop clients cover Windows, macOS and Ubuntu only
- Watch out: storage is whatever your NAS holds, so capacity is a hardware cost
How we grade them
| 2.4GPASeafileFair | 2.2GPASynology DriveFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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. | CNo license fee, but it runs only on a NAS you buy, which counts as self-hosting. |
| Free plan and trial | BCommunity is free and open source, and Professional is free for up to 3 users, though you host it. | CFree to install, but you need the NAS first, and storage and users depend on the model. |
| Features | CFile sync and sharing, but Community lacks audit logs, LDAP sync and full-text search. | CSync, sharing and team folders, but only on a Synology NAS, and user limits vary by model. |
| Ease of use | DThe free editions need self-hosting. No store rating on record. | DYou set up a NAS and install the package yourself. No store rating on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | AWeb, Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone and Android apps, and 6 integrations. | AWeb, Windows, Mac, Ubuntu, iPhone, iPad and Android clients, with 3 integrations. |
| Best for | self-hosted file sync with a free edition | private file sync on your own Synology NAS |
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: Seafile and Synology Drive. How we grade
Price against what you get
Seafile starts at $8 a month for each person and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Synology Drive has no paid plan and scores 2.3.
They score the same, and Synology Drive starts $8 a month lower. Of the other file storage and sync services on the chart, 17 score higher than Seafile for less, and none scores higher than Synology Drive 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.
At a glance
| Seafile | Synology Drive | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $8 per user / month (Plus Cloud Team plan) | Free |
| Free plan | 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. | No license fee; installed from the DSM Package Center on a Synology NAS. Storage and user limits depend on the NAS model. |
| Free trial | Plus Cloud trial plan is free for 30 days; Professional trial licenses are sent on request | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Seafile Ltd. | Synology Inc. |
| Price read from | seafile.com | synology.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
Synology Drive
- It needs a Synology NAS; storage capacity and user counts follow the model you buy.
- There is no hosted option on the page: Drive installs through the NAS Package Center.
- Desktop clients cover Windows, macOS and Ubuntu; mobile covers iOS, iPadOS and Android.
- Maximum users and concurrent users vary by NAS model.
Key features
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.
Synology Drive
- Sync on demand
- Files can stream to a device only when requested, or be pinned for a permanent local copy. On-demand sync needs Windows 10 1809 or later.
- Version history
- Previous file and folder versions are restored from the client, and the Intelliversioning algorithm keeps the most significant changes.
- Share links and requests
- Links carry role-based permissions, and request links let outside people upload files straight to your NAS.
- Backup and ShareSync
- Real-time or scheduled backup of chosen folders, and ShareSync keeps folders in step between Synology systems.
- Admin console and auditing
- A dashboard tracks clients and activity, and audit logs cover up to 40 action types. Watermarks and remote wipe are available.
- Co-editing in Synology Office
- Microsoft or OpenDocument files can be converted and edited together in Synology Office, with file locking against conflicts.
Plans
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.
Synology Drive
Synology Drive$0
License-free software; storage comes from the Synology NAS you choose.
Ways to pay less
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.
Synology Drive
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Seafile or Synology Drive?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Synology Drive is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $8 a month for each person for Seafile. Seafile starts at $8 per user / month (Plus Cloud Team plan), and Synology Drive is free.
Which has a free plan, Seafile or Synology Drive?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Seafile and Synology Drive have a free plan.
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.