Nextcloud: the Open Source Dropbox Alternative

Last updated: 12 October 2026

What Nextcloud replaces, and how well

First and foremost, Nextcloud replaces Dropbox, Google Drive and OneDrive. A desktop app keeps a folder in sync on each computer, the phone apps can upload your photos, and you can share any file or folder with a link, a password and an expiry date. Because the server is yours or your host's, there is no storage plan to outgrow beyond the disks you buy.

It goes further than Dropbox, too. Nextcloud Hub bundles Talk for chat and video calls, Calendar, Contacts and Mail, an office suite for editing documents in the browser, and a private AI assistant that runs on your own server. Together, then, these cover a fair part of Google Workspace or Microsoft 365. Each part is less polished than the big names, though, and someone has to look after the server.

Key features

• File sync and sharing: desktop apps for Windows, Mac and Linux, and Files apps for iPhone and Android.
• End-to-end encryption: pick folders to encrypt on your devices, so even the server cannot read them, with a 12-word recovery phrase.
• Talk: chat and video calls, which can also be end-to-end encrypted.
• Groupware: Calendar, Contacts and Mail in the same account.
• Office editing: Nextcloud Office, now powered by Euro-Office, with Collabora Online as another option.
• Federated sharing: share with people on a different Nextcloud server as easily as on your own.
• Apps: an app store of add-ons such as Deck for task boards and Tables for databases.

Three ways to get Nextcloud

Self-hosting. The All-in-One Docker image, maintained by Nextcloud GmbH, is the setup the company calls "the easiest way". The server runs on Linux rather than Windows, while NextcloudPi puts it on a Raspberry Pi. Either way, you need a computer that stays on and some confidence with Docker.

Hosted Nextcloud. Alternatively, hosting companies run Nextcloud for you. Nextcloud's Simple Signup page connects you to certified providers that offer a free single-user account of 2GB to 5GB, with paid plans above that. Hetzner's Storage Share, for example, offers 1TB, 5TB and 10TB plans with no minimum contract.

Nextcloud Enterprise. It adds support and maintenance from €71.29 per user a year before VAT, for at least 100 users.

See every way to install Nextcloud

Who makes Nextcloud, and who uses it

Frank Karlitschek and Niels Mache started Nextcloud in June 2016, and Nextcloud GmbH has offices in Berlin and Stuttgart. The server is open source under the AGPL v3, and the company also says there is no paid-only core. The current release, Nextcloud Hub 26 Summer, arrived on 16 September 2026.

One public user is Schleswig-Holstein in northern Germany, which is moving its civil servants away from Microsoft. According to heise, Nextcloud is set to replace SharePoint there for sharing work between government departments.

Server upkeep, speed and the other catches

Self-hosting means you handle updates, backups and server tuning yourself, and TechRadar's 2023 review called self-hosted versions "complex to manage". Speed also depends on the host: on cheap shared hosting, for example, TechRadar measured downloads under 1Mbps. Its phone apps are also simpler than the web version. Nextcloud releases a new major version about every three months, and older ones reach end of life quickly, so you need to keep up with updates. Finally, the full feature list is on Nextcloud's Hub page.

FAQs

Is Nextcloud free?

Yes. The software is free and open source. Instead, you pay for the server or for a hosting company, and businesses can pay for Enterprise support.

Is Nextcloud a good Dropbox alternative?

Yes, if you are happy to run a server or pay a host. File sync and sharing work like Dropbox, but speed and reliability depend on your setup.

How much does Dropbox cost in the UK?

Dropbox Plus is £9.99 a month, or £7.99 a month billed yearly. By comparison, Nextcloud's software is free. I checked Dropbox's prices on 12 October 2026.

Can I try Nextcloud without a server?

Yes. Simple Signup on nextcloud.com gives you a free 2GB to 5GB account with a certified provider.

Does Nextcloud work on iPhone and Android?

Yes. Nextcloud Files and Nextcloud Talk are on the App Store and Google Play, and Files is also on F-Droid.

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