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Nextcloud

✓ Verified FOSSAGPL-3.0
Top open-source alternative to Google Drive / Dropbox

☁️ Nextcloud server, a safe home for all your data

Tech StackPHP, Vue.js, PostgreSQL/MariaDB
Self-Host DifficultyEasy
License ModelAGPL-3.0
GitHub Repositorynextcloud/server

Recommended VPS & Hardware Sizing

Estimated Hosting: $4 - $6/mo (e.g. Hetzner CX22 or DigitalOcean)
Min RAM:1 GB
Rec RAM:2 GB
Compute:1 vCPU
Disk Space:10 GB SSD

Nextcloud vs Google Drive / Dropbox Comparison Matrix

Evaluation CriteriaNextcloud (Open Source)Google Drive / Dropbox (Proprietary)
Data ScrapingZero AI training or vendor data scanningCloud providers scanning content for AI training
Storage ExpansionExpand with cheap NVMe or NAS storage$10-$20/TB per month forever
INTERACTIVE TCO MODELEstimated Rate: $18/user/mo

Financial Impact: Migrating from Google Drive / Dropbox to Self-Hosted Nextcloud

Detailed Stack Calculator →
5 Users (Early Startup)50 Users (Scaleup)200 Users (Enterprise Org)
Google Drive / Dropbox (Cloud SaaS)Per-Seat Tax
$5,400per year ($450/mo)
3-Year Spend:$16,200

* Excludes enterprise SSO add-ons & usage overages

Nextcloud (Self-Hosted)Zero Per-Seat Fee
$120per year ($10/mo Linux VPS)
3-Year Compute:$360

* Commodity Hetzner / DigitalOcean compute instance

Cumulative 3-Year ROI+$15,840Net savings across 36 months (98% reduction)
Annual Free Cash:+$5,280/yr
Need C-Level Buy-In? Generate an instant ROI proposal memo to present to your CTO or CFO.

Core Capabilities & Features

✓Drive File Sync with Desktop & Mobile apps
✓Nextcloud Office (Docs & Sheets)
✓End-to-End Client Encryption
✓Federated Sharing & Access Controls

Self-Host Nextcloud with Docker Compose

Tweak configuration ports, secrets, and volumes live. Download or copy your ready-to-run container file:

1-Click Docker Compose Generator

Generate production-ready container definitions with customizable ports and volumes.

NextcloudAGPL-3.0

The most deployed self-hosted file sync, share, and team collaboration platform

Difficulty: Easy37,078 ⭐
Configure Parameters
docker-compose.nextcloud.yml
version: '3.8'

services:
  nextcloud:
    image: nextcloud:latest
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "${PORT:-8080}:80"
    volumes:
      - nextcloud_data:/var/www/html
    environment:
      - POSTGRES_HOST=db
      - POSTGRES_DB=nextcloud
      - POSTGRES_USER=nextcloud
      - POSTGRES_PASSWORD=${DB_PASSWORD:-nextcloud_secure_2026}
    depends_on:
      - db

  db:
    image: postgres:15-alpine
    restart: unless-stopped
    volumes:
      - nextcloud_pgdata:/var/lib/postgresql/data
    environment:
      - POSTGRES_DB=nextcloud
      - POSTGRES_USER=nextcloud
      - POSTGRES_PASSWORD=${DB_PASSWORD:-nextcloud_secure_2026}

volumes:
  nextcloud_data:
  nextcloud_pgdata:

Frequently Asked Questions: Self-Hosting Nextcloud

How do I self-host Nextcloud using Docker Compose?

You can deploy Nextcloud (nextcloud/server) on any Linux server by copying the docker-compose.yml template on this page, configuring your desired host port and persistent volume directory, and running 'docker compose up -d'.

How does Nextcloud compare to Google Drive / Dropbox?

Nextcloud is an open-source, self-hosted alternative to Google Drive / Dropbox built with PHP, Vue.js, PostgreSQL/MariaDB. Unlike Google Drive / Dropbox ($12 - $24 / user / month), Nextcloud has zero per-user licensing fees and keeps 100% of your data on your own infrastructure.

What are the minimum VPS RAM and CPU requirements for Nextcloud?

For production self-hosting (Easy difficulty tier), we recommend at least 2 GB RAM (minimum 1 GB), 1 vCPU, and 10 GB SSD storage, which typically costs $4 - $6/mo (e.g. Hetzner CX22 or DigitalOcean).

Is Nextcloud free for commercial business use under the AGPL-3.0 license?

Yes. Distributed under the AGPL-3.0 license, Nextcloud can be self-hosted internally by businesses and engineering teams of any size without per-seat royalties.

README INTEGRATION // REPO EMBED

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