Self-hosted cloud storage: Nextcloud vs Seafile vs Syncthing
"I want my own Dropbox" means different things to different people. The three leading open-source options aim at different goals, so the right choice depends on what you actually need: a platform, raw sync performance, or pure device-to-device sync.
Nextcloud — the platform
Nextcloud is the most complete: file sync plus calendars, contacts, chat, a web office (with Collabora/ONLYOFFICE), and hundreds of apps. It is the closest to replacing a whole Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 seat, not just a drive.
Best for: teams and families who want files and collaboration in one self-hosted place.
Trade-off: it is the heaviest of the three — PHP, a database, Redis — so it wants more RAM and some tuning.
Pick it if: you want one private space for files, calendars and docs.
→ What Nextcloud is · /app-hosting/nextcloud
Seafile — the fast one
Seafile focuses on file sync and share, and it is fast — its sync engine handles large libraries and many files efficiently because it stores files in blocks with content deduplication. It has a smaller feature surface than Nextcloud (no full office suite out of the box) but is excellent at the core job.
Best for: large file libraries and teams where sync speed and reliability matter most.
Trade-off: fewer surrounding apps than Nextcloud.
Pick it if: your priority is a fast, reliable, scalable file-sync product.
Syncthing — the peer-to-peer one
Syncthing is not a cloud at all in the usual sense: it syncs folders directly between your devices, peer-to-peer, with no central server required. Your laptop and desktop sync to each other without any third party holding your files.
Best for: syncing files between your own devices without running a server, and privacy maximalists.
Trade-off: no central web UI, no sharing links, no collaboration features; every device must be online for a sync to happen (unless you run an always-on node).
Pick it if: you want device-to-device sync with no central storage at all.
The comparison
| Nextcloud | Seafile | Syncthing | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Model | Server platform | Server (sync-focused) | Peer-to-peer |
| Office/calendars | Yes (with add-ons) | Limited | No |
| Sync performance | Good | Excellent | Good |
| Sharing links | Yes | Yes | No |
| Server needed | Yes | Yes | No (optional node) |
| Best for | All-in-one | Speed at scale | Privacy, no server |
How to decide
Want a private Google Workspace: Nextcloud.
Want the fastest, most reliable file sync for a big library: Seafile.
Want files synced between your devices, no cloud: Syncthing.
All three are open source. Nextcloud and Seafile run on a VPS (4 GB RAM is a good starting point for Nextcloud; Seafile can be lighter); Syncthing runs on the devices themselves, optionally with a small always-on node so sync works even when the others are offline. Whichever you pick, the non-negotiable is backups — your data is only as safe as its last good copy.