Open Source Self-Hosted Dropbox Alternatives

Dropbox is not available as a self-hosted solution but there are plenty of alternatives for power users and business that want to host a solution on-premise. The best open source Self-Hosted alternative is Nextcloud. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to Dropbox and many of them are open source and available as a self-hosted solution so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting open source Self-Hosted alternatives to Dropbox are ownCloud, Syncthing, Seafile and Ente Photos.

filter to find the best alternatives

Dropbox alternatives are mainly Cloud Storage Services, but if you're looking for File Sync Tools or File Managers you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Open Source, Self-Hosted, Linux, Cloud Storage, Self-Hosted + Open Source, EU and Mac. You can also filter by region, for example EU-based alternatives if you prefer software developed in the European Union. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to Dropbox.
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Alternatives list

  1. Nextcloud icon

    Nextcloud

     1250 likes

    Nextcloud is an open source software that allows you to manage your files and sync them across all your devices - like Dropbox. There are, however, several differences: You can self-host a Nextcloud instance, allowing you to fully manage it, or you can use a Nextcloud provider to host your data for you. You have access to more security, privacy and administration options. You can add plugins for almost everything (emails, tasks, calendars, maps, news, video chats, notes, and more).

    Of course, it’s a bit more complicated to set up since you have to self-host it or find a provider, but if what you’re looking for is an open source and extensible solution that you can fully manage yourself, Nextcloud might be the right pick for you.

    182 Nextcloud alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • HUAWEI AppGallery
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • F-Droid
    • Raspberry Pi
    • Cloudron
    • Docker Hub
    • OpenAPK
    • DE flagGermany
    • European Union flagEU
    Nextcloud screenshot 1
    Good alternative?
     
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  2. ownCloud icon

    ownCloud

     876 likes

    Like Nextcloud, ownCloud is an open source solution that you can self-host on your own server, or you can pay a monthly fee to get an online instance with limited storage. It offers interesting features such as collaborative editing and version management of documents, image galleries, end-to-end encryption, email plugins to host attachments, and more… and you can also extend it by installing add-ons from their marketplace.

    It’s no coincidence that ownCloud and Nextcloud share so many features, because Nextcloud is based on ownCloud. The key differences are the licenses (ownCloud’s enterprise edition comes under commercial license), the exclusive features ownCloud offers only to premium users while all features are free with Nextcloud, the app marketplaces (Nextcloud’s one has more apps), and of course, the pricing plans if you want a managed instance.

    239 ownCloud alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Blackberry
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    • Raspberry Pi
    • Cloudron
    • US flagUnited States
    ownCloud screenshot 1
    Good alternative?
     
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  4. Syncthing icon

    Syncthing

     924 likes

    Syncthing, an open-source alternative to Dropbox, uses peer-to-peer tech to keep your files private and decentralized. Unlike Dropbox's cloud sync and hosting, Syncthing offers self-hosted functionality with unlimited space, suiting those prioritizing data control and privacy.

    138 Syncthing alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Self-Hosted
    • Terminal
    • Cloudron
    • Termux
    • SE flagSweden
    • European Union flagEU
    Syncthing screenshot 1
    Good alternative?
     
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    11
  5. Seafile icon

    Seafile

     199 likes

    Open source cloud platform for organizations with self-hosting, device file synchronization, sharing, versioning, secure encrypted storage, admin controls, web access, audit logging, and support for desktop and mobile clients for secure collaboration.

    137 Seafile alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    • CN flagChina
    Seafile screenshot 1
    Good alternative?
     
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  6. Ente Photos icon

    Ente Photos

     213 likes

    Open-source, end-to-end encrypted backup and sharing for photos and videos, multi-platform sync, original quality preservation, privacy-first design, collaborative albums, family sharing, secure external sharing, robust data replication, and device imports.

    164 Ente Photos alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • Flathub
    • F-Droid
    • OpenAPK
    • Flatpak
    • Cloudron
    • US flagUnited States
    Ente Photos screenshot 1
    Ente Photos screenshot 2
    Ente Photos screenshot 3
    Good alternative?
     
  8. CryptPad icon

    CryptPad

     194 likes

    CryptPad is a private-by-design alternative to popular office tools and cloud services. All the content stored on CryptPad is encrypted before being sent, which means nobody can access your data unless you give them the keys.

    120 CryptPad alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    • Self-Hosted
    • Cloudron
    • FR flagFrance
    • European Union flagEU
    Instance homepage
    Good alternative?
     
  9. Cozy Cloud icon

    Cozy Cloud

     135 likes

    Cozy makes the personal cloud more accessible. Respectful of the user's privacy, Cozy simplifies daily tasks: synchronize and backup photos, automate bills downloading, manage expenses, etc. Flexible and easy to use, their Open Source platform allows users to create and...

    89 Cozy Cloud alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Self-Hosted
    • Go (Programming Language)
    • FR flagFrance
    • European Union flagEU
    Automate the synchronisation of your files on your PC with your Cozy.
    Good alternative?
     
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  10. Sync-in icon

    Sync-in

     21 likes

    Sync-in is a secure, open-source platform for file storage, synchronization, and team collaboration — designed to give organizations full control over their data and workflows, while remaining flexible enough for individual needs.

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Self-Hosted
    • Cloudron
    • Docker
    • Docker Hub
    • npm
    • YunoHost
    • FR flagFrance
    • European Union flagEU
    Sync-in screenshot 1
    Good alternative?
     
  11. IPFS icon

    IPFS

     177 likes

    IPFS is a global, versioned, peer-to-peer filesystem. It combines ideas from Git, BitTorrent, Kademlia, SFS, and the web. It is like a single bittorrent swarm, exchanging git objects. IPFS provides an interface as simple as the HTTP web, but with permanence built in.

    70 IPFS alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Self-Hosted
    • Firefox
    • US flagUnited States
    IPFS screenshot 1
    Good alternative?
     
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  12. Hoodik icon

    Hoodik

     32 likes

    Lightweight, self-hosted encrypted cloud storage enabling fast uploads and downloads, easy Docker install, secure public link sharing, browser-side cryptography, searchable metadata, and low RAM footprint. Designed for privacy, performance, and file management.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Self-Hosted
    • Docker
    • HR flagCroatia
    • European Union flagEU
    Hoodik screenshot 1
    Good alternative?
     
  13. Pydio icon

    Pydio

     132 likes

    Pydio is the mature alternative to Dropbox and Box.com, to build your own box, on your own servers.

    79 Pydio alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • Self-Hosted
    • FR flagFrance
    • European Union flagEU
    Secure login
    Good alternative?
     
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  14. OxiCloud icon

    OxiCloud

     15 likes

    Lightweight file storage with a Rust backend and optimized binary for efficiency, offering responsive UI on desktop and mobile, simple setup, multilingual English and Spanish support, no PHP dependency, and designed for minimal resource use on home servers.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source (MIT)

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Self-Hosted
    • Windows
    • Mac
    • Linux
    • AppImage
    • Android
    • iPhone
    OxiCloud screenshot 1
    Good alternative?
     
12 of 38 Dropbox alternatives