The Seafile Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Seafile 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.
Seafile
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source file sync and share, self-hosted or in the cloud
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among file storage and sync services, read from Seafile’s own pages.
Made by Seafile Ltd. · 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 Seafile’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Seafile’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
Seafile is file sync and sharing software with a free open-source Community edition, a paid self-hosted Professional edition and a hosted Plus Cloud service. Files are organized in libraries that can be synced, shared with users and groups, and searched. Recent versions add custom file properties and AI chat over a library.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Seafile, taken from its own pages and our grades.
- 1
Best for self-hosted file sync with a free edition
Seafile is open-source file sync and share, free as Community or for up to 3 users on Professional, or $8 a user in its cloud.
- 2
Paid plans start at $8 a month for each person
As its pricing page puts it: $8 per user / month (Plus Cloud Team plan).
- 3
There is a 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.
- 4
It runs on 6 platforms
Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android.
- 5
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.
- 6
Online editing
Office documents can be viewed and edited in the browser, with OnlyOffice and Collabora Online integrations in the Professional edition.
- 7
Custom file properties
Libraries can carry extra properties such as owner and status, shown in table, Kanban, gallery and map views.
- 8
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.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Seafile 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.
Seafile at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $8 per user / month (Plus Cloud Team plan)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- Plus Cloud trial plan is free for 30 days; Professional trial licenses are sent on request
- Runs on
- Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Seafile Ltd.
- Category
- File Storage & Sync
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for self-hosted file sync with a free edition
Seafile is open-source file sync and share, free as Community or for up to 3 users on Professional, or $8 a user in its cloud. The free editions need a server, Community lacks audit logs and LDAP, and the cloud plan starts at 3 users.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | The 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 | B | Community is free and open source, and Professional is free for up to 3 users, though you host it. |
| Features | C | File sync and sharing, but Community lacks audit logs, LDAP sync and full-text search. |
| Ease of use | D | The free editions need self-hosting. No store rating on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | A | Web, Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone and Android apps, and 6 integrations. |
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 Seafile is for
- 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
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- Organizations that want to host their own file server
- Small teams that can use the free 3-user Professional license
- Teams that need LDAP or single sign-on on a budget
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$8
A month to start, for each person. There is a free plan too
Seafile has a free plan. Paid plans start at $8 per user / month (Plus Cloud Team plan).
The free editions need your own server, so it counts as a C.
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.
The 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.
Trying it first
Plus Cloud trial plan is free for 30 days; Professional trial licenses are sent on request
Read from seafile.com on Nov 12, 2026.
Ways to pay less
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.
Stated on seafile.com
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 file sync and share, self-hosted or in the cloud. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, AI features, file sync, file sharing.
File sync and sharing, but Community lacks audit logs, LDAP sync and full-text search.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- OnlyOffice
- Collabora Online
- LDAP
- Active Directory
- AWS S3
- WebDAV
Seafile is made by Seafile Ltd.
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
Seafile'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).
Its paid plans start at $8 a month for each person, against a middle price of $6.32 for the category: 27 of the 37 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 17 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 46 file storage and sync services we grade, cut by the letter each got. Seafile’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
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 40 file storage and sync services. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Seafile 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 Seafile 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 costs $96 a year. Seafile 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, Linux, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- It is priced for each person, which means accounts and billing for a team.
- It plugs into other products, OnlyOffice, Collabora Online and LDAP 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 and audit logs.
What this rests on. Seafile’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, ownCloud, Syncthing, Resilio Sync and pCloud
The 5 tools Seafile 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.
- Nextcloud also covers video calls.
- 2.4GPA
ownCloud
Free plan
Open-source file sync and share you can host yourself.
- Only Seafile lists a Linux app.
- 2.6GPA
Syncthing
Free
Free, open source file sync directly between your own devices.
- Only Seafile lists a web app.
- Only Seafile lists iOS and Android apps.
- Seafile is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 1.6GPA
Resilio Sync
Paid
Device-to-device file sync with an enterprise edition.
- Seafile has a free plan. Resilio Sync does not.
- Only Seafile lists a web app.
- Only Seafile lists macOS, iOS and Android apps.
- 2.6GPA
pCloud
Free plan · from $4.99/mo
Swiss cloud storage sold by subscription or one-time payment.
- Only pCloud lists a browser extension.
- Seafile is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- pCloud can be bought with a one-time purchase.
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 Seafile free?
Seafile has a 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.
How much does Seafile cost?
Seafile lists 5 plans. Community Edition: $0.
What platforms does Seafile work on?
Seafile is available on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android.
Does Seafile offer any discounts?
Seafile publicly lists the following: Half-price Professional licenses for education.
Is Seafile open source?
Yes. Seafile is open source, according to its own site.
What does Seafile integrate with?
Seafile's listing names OnlyOffice, Collabora Online, LDAP, Active Directory, AWS S3 and WebDAV.
Does Seafile have a student discount?
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.
Does Seafile have a free trial?
Yes. Plus Cloud trial plan is free for 30 days; Professional trial licenses are sent on request.
Who makes Seafile?
Seafile is made by Seafile Ltd.
What are the alternatives to Seafile?
The closest alternatives to Seafile in our directory are Nextcloud, ownCloud, Syncthing, Resilio Sync and pCloud.
How does Seafile compare with other file storage and sync services?
Seafile's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 18 of the 45 other file storage and sync services we grade, and level with 8.
Is Seafile good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Seafile C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $8 a month for each person, against a middle price of $6.32 for the category: 27 of the 37 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Seafile?
To replace Seafile 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 Seafile’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 Seafile'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 Seafile Ltd. Prices change, so check seafile.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
- Seafile, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/seafile
- 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, "Seafile: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/seafile
Know someone choosing between file storage and sync services?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/seafile/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded file storage and sync services after Seafile, 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 Seafile’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. Seafile is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Seafile Ltd. Prices and plans change: check seafile.com before you buy.