The Nextcloud Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Nextcloud in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Nextcloud
The Insider’s Guide
Open source, self-hosted file sync and collaboration platform
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among file storage and sync services, read from Nextcloud’s own pages.
Made by Nextcloud GmbH · checked Oct 5, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Nextcloud’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Nextcloud’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.2
GPA, above 12 of the 17 other file storage and sync services we grade
Nextcloud is open source software for running your own file sync and sharing service on a server you control. Nextcloud Hub adds chat and video calls, groupware, office document editing, an AI assistant and workflow automation on top of file storage. The server software and apps are free, while Nextcloud GmbH sells Enterprise subscriptions with support for deployments of 100 users or more.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Nextcloud, taken from its own pages and our grades.
- 1
Best for running your own file sync on your own server
Nextcloud is a Dropbox you run yourself, on a server you control, with free open source apps and chat, video calls and shared office documents on top of files.
- 2
Paid plans start at about $6.66 a month for each person
As its pricing page puts it: 71.29€ per user / year, excl. VAT (from 100 users).
- 3
There is a 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.
- 4
It runs on 6 platforms
Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android.
- 5
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.
- 6
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.
- 7
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.
- 8
A 3.2 GPA, above 12 of 17
That is against the other file storage and sync services we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Nextcloud you would be making files kept in step across devices without losing one. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Nextcloud at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from 71.29€ per user / year, excl. VAT (from 100 users)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- Nextcloud Enterprise can be tried for free, and an instant online trial is offered
- Runs on
- Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Nextcloud GmbH, since 2016
- Category
- File Storage & Sync
- Our grade
- 3.2 GPA, very good
- Store rating
- 4.7 on the App Store, 10,378 ratings
The report card
Best for running your own file sync on your own server
Nextcloud is a Dropbox you run yourself, on a server you control, with free open source apps and chat, video calls and shared office documents on top of files. Somebody has to install it, update it and back it up, Nextcloud hosts nothing for you, and official support starts at 100 users, so a small team wanting support should look elsewhere.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | The 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. |
| Free plan and trial | A | Free 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. |
| Features | B | Sync 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. |
| Ease of use | D | You 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. |
| Platforms and integrations | A | Web, 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. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Nextcloud is for
- 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
Who it is not for
- 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€
Good to know
Good for
- Organizations that must keep files on servers they control
- Technical users comfortable running a server or a Docker image
- Schools and public bodies with data-sovereignty requirements
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
~$6.66
A month to start, for each person. There is a free plan too
Nextcloud has a free plan. Paid plans start at 71.29€ per user / year, excl. VAT (from 100 users).
There's an instant online trial too, if you want a look before installing anything.
Nextcloud server
Free
Open source server software to host yourself, with free desktop and mobile apps and community support.
Enterprise Standard
71.29€
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 Premium
104.99€
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 Ultimate
204.75€
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.
The 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.
Trying it first
Nextcloud Enterprise can be tried for free, and an instant online trial is offered
Read from nextcloud.com on Oct 5, 2026.
Ways to pay less
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.
Stated on nextcloud.comEducation
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.
Stated on nextcloud.com
How its prices have moved
- Apr 8, 2026Enterprise Standard: 67.89€ per user / year, starting at 100 users → 71.29€ per user / year, starting at 100 usersThe archived copy of 8 April 2026 shows Standard at 71.29€ per user a year; the copy before it, of 3 January 2026, shows 67.89€. The price changed between the two.
- Apr 8, 2026Enterprise Premium: 99.99€ per user / year, starting at 100 users → 104.99€ per user / year, starting at 100 usersThe archived copy of 8 April 2026 shows Premium at 104.99€ per user a year; the copy before it, of 3 January 2026, shows 99.99€. The price changed between the two.
- Apr 8, 2026Enterprise Ultimate: 195€ per user / year, starting at 100 users → 204.75€ per user / year, starting at 100 usersThe archived copy of 8 April 2026 shows Ultimate at 204.75€ per user a year; the copy before it, of 3 January 2026, shows 195€. The price changed between the two.
- Jul 11, 2025Enterprise Basic: withdrawn (was 37.49€ per user / year, starting at 100 users)The archived copy of 11 July 2025 lists Standard, Premium and Ultimate; the copy before it, of 1 April 2025, also has Basic at 37.49€ per user a year. The plan was withdrawn between the two.
- Nov 27, 2023Enterprise Ultimate: new, 195€ per user / year, starting at 100 usersThe archived copy of 27 November 2023 shows an Ultimate plan above Premium at 195€ per user a year; the copy before it, of 15 September 2023, stops at Premium. The plan was added between the two.
- Nov 27, 2023Enterprise Basic: €36 per user / year, starting at 100 users → 37.49€ per user / year, starting at 100 usersThe archived copy of 27 November 2023 shows Basic at 37.49€ per user a year; the copy before it, of 15 September 2023, shows €36. The price changed between the two.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
6
Places it runs: Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android
Open source, self-hosted file sync and collaboration platform. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, AI features, real-time collaboration, video calls, file sync, file sharing.
Sync and share, Talk for chat and calls, groupware, and documents edited together through Collabora or Euro-Office.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- Collabora Online
- Euro-Office
- Thinkfree Office
- Microsoft Teams
- Microsoft Office Online Server
Who makes Nextcloud
Nextcloud is made by Nextcloud GmbH, a German company registered in Stuttgart with offices in Berlin and a remote team. The server software is free and open source under the AGPL 3.0; the money comes from Nextcloud Enterprise subscriptions and support sold to companies, governments and schools.
- Founded
- 2016nextcloud.com
- Based
- Stuttgart, Germany, with a visitor office in Berlin and a remote teamnextcloud.com
- Ownership
- Privately held. Privately held: the founders keep the majority of the company, and the Munich investment company Armira Growth joined Nextcloud GmbH as a minority shareholder in a long-term partnership announced in October 2026.nextcloud.com
- Funding
- Nextcloud grew without outside money for ten years: its history page calls the company fully employee-funded and profitable from the end of 2016. In October 2026 it announced that Armira Growth had taken a minority stake; no amount was given.nextcloud.comnextcloud.com
- Team
- A team of more than 170 spread across 30 countries, mostly working from home or a local co-working spacenextcloud.com
- Founders and leaders
- Frank Karlitschek, Chief Executive Officer and foundernextcloud.com
- Jos Poortvliet, Vice President Communications and Co-Foundernextcloud.com
- Niels Mache, Co-foundernextcloud.com
- Andreas Rode, Chief Commercial Officernextcloud.com
- Hiring
- Nine open roles: five in marketing, two event managers, a sales operations manager and an accountant, all remotenextcloud.com
- Partner program
- Channel Partner Program in three levels set by annual recurring revenue: Silver below €100,000, Gold up to €500,000, Platinum above €500,000. All get core sales and technical resources; Gold and Platinum add a dedicated partner manager and joint marketing.nextcloud.com
- Lately
- October maintenance updates for Nextcloud Hub 26 Winter, Spring and Summer · Oct 16, 2026
- Armira Growth teams up with Nextcloud: Frank Karlitschek on what it means for the community · Oct 12, 2026
- Nextcloud Text adds comments in Markdown files · Oct 7, 2026
- Introducing Nextcloud Academy: Free online courses for Nextcloud contributors · Oct 1, 2026
Read on Oct 18, 2026 from the company’s own pages and from news reports. What is not stated there is left out.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
12/17
Other file storage and sync services it is graded above
Nextcloud's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 12 of the 17 other file storage and sync services we grade, and level with 2.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 16 of 17) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at about $6.66 a month for each person, against a middle price of $4.17 for the category: 12 of the 16 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 9 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 18 file storage and sync services we grade, cut by the letter each got. Nextcloud’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 11 of 17
- AFree plan and trialAbove 16 of 17
- BFeaturesAbove 7 of 17
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 17
- APlatforms and integrationsAbove 7 of 17
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 18 file storage and sync services. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Nextcloud is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Nextcloud you would be making files kept in step across devices without losing one. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.2 is higher than 12 of the 17 other file storage and sync services we grade. It costs $79.89 a year. Nextcloud is open source, so there is a third way: take its code and run it yourself.
What you could not
- Files kept in step across devices without losing one.
- Video calls.
- Storing and serving files for other people.
- Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- Several people working in it at the same moment.
- It plugs into other products, Collabora Online, Euro-Office and Thinkfree Office among them.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- What a company asks for before it lets staff use something: single sign-on.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Nextcloud’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Syncthing, Google Drive, Dropbox, Box and Proton Drive
The 5 tools Nextcloud is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
Syncthing
Free
Free, open source file sync directly between your own devices.
- Only Nextcloud lists a web app.
- Only Nextcloud lists iOS and Android apps.
- Nextcloud is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 3.6GPA
Google Drive
Free plan · from $1.99/mo
Cloud storage tied to Google Docs, Gmail and Photos.
- Only Nextcloud lists a Linux app.
- Nextcloud is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Nextcloud also covers video calls.
- 2.8GPA
Dropbox
Free plan · from $9.99/mo
Cloud storage and file sync with transfer and signing tools.
- Nextcloud is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Nextcloud also covers video calls.
- Dropbox also covers documents.
- 2.8GPA
Box
Free plan · from $5/mo
Business content storage with e-signatures, workflows and AI.
- Only Nextcloud lists a Linux app.
- Nextcloud is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Nextcloud also covers video calls.
- 2.6GPA
Proton Drive
Free plan · from $3.99/mo
End-to-end encrypted cloud storage from the maker of Proton Mail.
- Only Nextcloud lists a Linux app.
- Nextcloud is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Proton Drive is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
14
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Nextcloud free?
Nextcloud has a 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.
How much does Nextcloud cost?
Nextcloud lists 4 plans. Nextcloud server: Free.
What platforms does Nextcloud work on?
Nextcloud is available on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android.
Does Nextcloud offer any discounts?
Nextcloud publicly lists the following: Lower per-user price from 200 users; Education program, priced by quote.
How is Nextcloud rated?
Nextcloud's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.7 out of 5 from 10,378 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
Is Nextcloud open source?
Yes. Nextcloud is open source, according to its own site.
What does Nextcloud integrate with?
Nextcloud's listing names Collabora Online, Euro-Office, Thinkfree Office, Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Office Online Server.
Does Nextcloud have a student discount?
Education program, priced by quote. The pricing page lists an Education program for schools, universities and other educational institutes, alongside a Public Sector program.
Does Nextcloud have a free trial?
Yes. Nextcloud Enterprise can be tried for free, and an instant online trial is offered.
Who makes Nextcloud?
Nextcloud is made by Nextcloud GmbH. Privately held: the founders keep the majority of the company, and the Munich investment company Armira Growth joined Nextcloud GmbH as a minority shareholder in a long-term partnership announced in October 2026.
What are the alternatives to Nextcloud?
The closest alternatives to Nextcloud in our directory are Syncthing, Google Drive, Dropbox, Box and Proton Drive.
How does Nextcloud compare with other file storage and sync services?
Nextcloud's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 12 of the 17 other file storage and sync services we grade, and level with 2.
Is Nextcloud good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Nextcloud A for value for money. Its paid plans start at about $6.66 a month for each person, against a middle price of $4.17 for the category: 12 of the 16 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Nextcloud?
To replace Nextcloud you would be making files kept in step across devices without losing one.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Nextcloud’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Nextcloud's own pages on 5 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-07-28.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Nextcloud GmbH. Prices change, so check nextcloud.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Nextcloud, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/nextcloud
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Nextcloud: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/nextcloud
Know someone choosing between file storage and sync services?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/nextcloud/guide
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See our other guides
The best-graded file storage and sync services after Nextcloud, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- File Storage & Sync Insider's GuideEvery one of the 18 file storage and sync services we grade, compared
- Google Drive Insider's GuideCloud storage tied to Google Docs, Gmail and Photos3.6 GPA
- Filen Insider's GuideEnd-to-end encrypted cloud storage from Germany with open source apps3.4 GPA
- Microsoft OneDrive Insider's GuideMicrosoft's cloud storage, bundled with Microsoft 365 plans3.4 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Nextcloud’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Nextcloud is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Nextcloud GmbH. Prices and plans change: check nextcloud.com before you buy.