The ownCloud Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about ownCloud 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.
ownCloud
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source file sync and share you can host yourself
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among file storage and sync services, read from ownCloud’s own pages.
Made by ownCloud GmbH · checked Nov 12, 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 ownCloud’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on ownCloud’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 18 of the 45 other file storage and sync services we grade
ownCloud is file sync and sharing software that organizations run on their own servers, with a hosted option in Germany. A free open-source Community edition has no user limit, and paid Enterprise and Standard editions add support and extra modules. Desktop and mobile apps connect to any edition.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about ownCloud, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You install and update the server yourself unless you buy ownCloud Online.
- 1
Best for self-hosted file sync for IT teams
ownCloud is open-source file sync you host yourself, with a free Community edition.
- 2
There is a free plan
Community edition: free, open source and self-managed, with unlimited users and community forum support only.
- 3
It runs on 5 platforms
Web, Windows, macOS, iOS and Android.
- 4
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.
- 5
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.
- 6
Hosted option in Germany
ownCloud Online hosts storage in Germany, with 180 days of file recovery, multi-factor authentication and guest accounts.
- 7
A 2.4 GPA, above 18 of 45
That is against the other file storage and sync services we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
To replace ownCloud 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.
ownCloud at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 30-day free trial of the Enterprise features; 14-day trial of ownCloud Online
- Runs on
- Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
- Made by
- ownCloud GmbH
- Category
- File Storage & Sync
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for self-hosted file sync for IT teams
ownCloud is open-source file sync you host yourself, with a free Community edition. Enterprise, Standard and ownCloud Online have no published prices, Community has forum support only, and you run and update the server unless you buy Online.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Community is free but self-managed, which needs a server and counts as a C. Paid editions are quoted. |
| Free plan and trial | B | Community is free with unlimited users, and there are 30-day and 14-day trials of paid editions. |
| Features | C | File sync and sharing with apps, but Community lacks the support and features of Enterprise. |
| Ease of use | D | You install and update the server yourself unless you buy ownCloud Online. No store rating on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | A | Web, Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android apps, and 5 integrations listed. No Linux client is listed. |
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 ownCloud is for
- 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
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- Organizations that must keep files on their own servers
- Public sector and education buyers who want open-source software
- Self-hosters who want a free edition with no user limit
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
4
plans to choose from
ownCloud has a free plan.
Community is free but self-managed, which needs a server and counts as a C.
Community
$0
Self-managed on your own server, unlimited users, community apps and forum. No customer support.
Enterprise
Custom
From 25 users, yearly commitment, 12x5 phone and email support with 2-hour reaction, pro app features. No price published.
Standard
Custom
From 25 users, on-premises, yearly commitment, 9x5 email support with 2-hour reaction. Contact sales; no price published.
ownCloud Online
Custom
Hosted in Germany. 1,000 GB for teams from 5 users, 500 GB for 1 to 4 users. The page shows no prices.
The free plan
Community edition: free, open source and self-managed, with unlimited users and community forum support only.
Trying it first
30-day free trial of the Enterprise features; 14-day trial of ownCloud Online
Read from owncloud.com on Nov 12, 2026.
Ways to pay less
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.
Stated on owncloud.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
5
Places it runs: Web, macOS, Windows, iOS and Android
Open-source file sync and share you can host yourself. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, file sync, file sharing.
File sync and sharing with apps, but Community lacks the support and features of Enterprise.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
- Windows
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- Collabora Online
- ONLYOFFICE
- Microsoft 365
- Microsoft Teams
- Microsoft Outlook
ownCloud is made by ownCloud GmbH.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
18/45
Other file storage and sync services it is graded above
ownCloud's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 18 of the 45 other file storage and sync services we grade, and level with 8.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (A, above 28 of 45) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 46 file storage and sync services we grade, cut by the letter each got. ownCloud’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 9 of 45
- BFree plan and trialAbove 34 of 45
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 45
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 45
- APlatforms and integrationsAbove 28 of 45
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 ownCloud 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.
ownCloud 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.
- Storing and serving files for other people.
- Apps for macOS, Windows, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- It plugs into other products, Collabora Online, ONLYOFFICE and Microsoft 365 among them.
What this rests on. ownCloud’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
Nextcloud, Seafile, Syncthing, Box and Tresorit
The 5 tools ownCloud is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.2GPA
Nextcloud
Free plan · from €71.29/yr
Open source, self-hosted file sync and collaboration platform.
- Only Nextcloud lists a Linux app.
- Nextcloud also covers video calls.
- 2.4GPA
Seafile
Free plan · from $8/mo
Open-source file sync and share, self-hosted or in the cloud.
- Only Seafile lists a Linux app.
- 2.6GPA
Syncthing
Free
Free, open source file sync directly between your own devices.
- Only ownCloud lists a web app.
- Only ownCloud lists iOS and Android apps.
- Only Syncthing lists a Linux app.
- 2.8GPA
Box
Free plan · from $5/mo
Business content storage with e-signatures, workflows and AI.
- ownCloud is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Box also covers workflow automation.
- 2.4GPA
Tresorit
Free plan · from $4.75/mo
End-to-end encrypted file storage and sharing for businesses.
- Only Tresorit lists a Linux app.
- ownCloud is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Tresorit 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
13
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 ownCloud free?
ownCloud has a free plan. Community edition: free, open source and self-managed, with unlimited users and community forum support only.
How much does ownCloud cost?
ownCloud lists 4 plans. Community: $0.
What platforms does ownCloud work on?
ownCloud is available on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS and Android.
Does ownCloud offer any discounts?
ownCloud publicly lists the following: Special pricing for large and education deployments.
Does ownCloud have a Linux app?
No Linux app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. ownCloud is listed for Web, Windows, macOS, iOS and Android.
Is ownCloud open source?
Yes. ownCloud is open source, according to its own site. It can also be run on a server of your own.
What does ownCloud integrate with?
ownCloud's listing names Collabora Online, ONLYOFFICE, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Outlook.
Does ownCloud have a student discount?
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.
Does ownCloud have a free trial?
Yes. 30-day free trial of the Enterprise features; 14-day trial of ownCloud Online.
Who makes ownCloud?
ownCloud is made by ownCloud GmbH.
What are the alternatives to ownCloud?
The closest alternatives to ownCloud in our directory are Nextcloud, Seafile, Syncthing, Box and Tresorit.
How does ownCloud compare with other file storage and sync services?
ownCloud's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 18 of the 45 other file storage and sync services we grade, and level with 8.
Could I make my own version of ownCloud?
To replace ownCloud 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 ownCloud’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from ownCloud's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
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 ownCloud GmbH. Prices change, so check owncloud.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 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.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- ownCloud, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/owncloud
- 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, "ownCloud: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/owncloud
Know someone choosing between file storage and sync services?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/owncloud/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded file storage and sync services after ownCloud, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- File Storage & Sync Insider's GuideEvery one of the 46 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 ownCloud’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. ownCloud is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by ownCloud GmbH. Prices and plans change: check owncloud.com before you buy.