Google Drive
3 alternatives — 3 medium
Google Drive's 15GB is shared across Gmail, Photos, and Drive. These self-hosted alternatives provide unlimited cloud storage on your own hardware with file sync, sharing, and collaboration features.
Why people leave Google Drive
- 15GB shared across all Google services
- Privacy concerns with data mining
- Dependent on Google account
- Limited Linux support
Comparison
| App | Difficulty | RAM | Docker | Mobile | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grist Spreadsheet-database workspace for structured data, lightweight apps, and team collaboration. | medium | 1GB | — | Active | ||
| Nextcloud Full-featured productivity platform with file sync, calendar, contacts, and more. | medium | 2GB | iOS & Android | Active | ||
| Seafile High-performance file sync and share with excellent syncing reliability. | medium | 1GB | iOS & Android | Active |
Detailed Look
Grist Top Pick
Spreadsheet-database workspace for structured data, lightweight apps, and team collaboration.
Pros
- + Combines spreadsheets with relational database structure
- + Good for internal trackers and lightweight apps
- + Self-hostable core with strong documentation
Cons
- - Less polished than hosted Airtable-style products
- - Advanced formulas and access rules have a learning curve
- - Mobile experience is not the primary focus
Nextcloud
Full-featured productivity platform with file sync, calendar, contacts, and more.
Pros
- + Massive app ecosystem
- + Full office suite integration
- + CalDAV/CardDAV support
- + Strong community
Cons
- - Can be slow with large file counts
- - PHP can be resource hungry
- - Complex to tune for performance
Seafile
High-performance file sync and share with excellent syncing reliability.
Pros
- + Excellent sync performance
- + Low resource usage
- + Reliable file syncing
- + Good mobile apps
Cons
- - Smaller ecosystem than Nextcloud
- - Less intuitive UI
- - Community edition has fewer features
FAQ
What is the best self-hosted Google Drive alternative?
Nextcloud is the most complete replacement — it offers file sync, sharing, office document editing, and integrates with CalDAV/CardDAV for calendar and contacts. Seafile is faster and lighter if you only need file sync and sharing.
Can I edit documents in a self-hosted cloud drive?
Yes. Nextcloud integrates with OnlyOffice or Collabora Online for editing documents, spreadsheets, and presentations directly in the browser. The experience is similar to Google Docs but runs on your server.
How do I access my self-hosted files from my phone?
Nextcloud and Seafile both have native iOS and Android apps with automatic photo upload. Syncthing has an Android app for file sync. All support WebDAV which works with most file manager apps.
Can't decide? Compare Grist, Nextcloud, Seafile side by side →