Compare / Nextcloud vs ownCloud
Nextcloud vs ownCloud
Pick Nextcloud if you want the AGPL files/Talk/Office suite published as /stacks/nextcloud-files. Pick ownCloud if you already operate that lineage — Classic is AGPL PHP; Infinite Scale is Apache-2.0 Go with an EULA on some vendor binaries.
Facts checked 18 Oct 2026. License, language, and GitHub activity come from the catalog or the project's own repo. "Not in the catalog row" means the public catalog dump does not store that number.
Nextcloud in the catalog ownCloud in the catalogStart on Railway
How they compare
| Nextcloud | ownCloud | |
|---|---|---|
| License | AGPL-3.0 (nextcloud/server) source | Classic: AGPL-3.0 (owncloud/core). Infinite Scale source: Apache-2.0 (owncloud/ocis) source |
| Language | PHP (catalog) | Classic PHP; Infinite Scale Go |
| GitHub activity | 37,171 stars in the catalog source | 8,837 stars on owncloud/core in the catalog source |
| Self-host | Published as /stacks/nextcloud-files. DB + a blob volume. | Classic PHP suite, or Infinite Scale (Go). Vendor binaries may add an EULA. |
| Best for | Files plus Talk/Office/apps on one suite. | An existing ownCloud estate, or oCIS if you want that stack. |
Self-hosting and resource needs
Nextcloud is /stacks/nextcloud-files: database plus a volume for blobs; add Collabora or ONLYOFFICE for Docs. ownCloud Classic is owncloud/core (AGPL-3.0). ownCloud Infinite Scale is owncloud/ocis (Apache-2.0 source; ownCloud documents an EULA on some stable vendor builds). A camera-roll timeline stays on /replace/google-photos.
FAQ
- Nextcloud or Seafile?
- Nextcloud if you want the suite. Seafile if the job is sync and share — /compare/nextcloud-vs-seafile.
- Is Infinite Scale Apache-2.0?
- The ocis source repo is Apache-2.0. ownCloud's own license page says some stable vendor binaries are covered by a non-OSS EULA. Build from source if you want the Apache terms only.
- Why not Dropbox?
- /replace/dropbox is copyparty + Syncthing. Drive/OneDrive/Box is this suite.
- How do I deploy Nextcloud?
- Open /stacks/nextcloud-files. Persist blobs and the database. Lock public signup.
Related pages
- Nextcloud tool page
- ownCloud tool page
- Nextcloud / Seafile stack
- copyparty + ClovaLink + Syncthing stack
- Best open-source File sync & storage
- Replace Google Drive
- Replace OneDrive
- Replace Box
- Replace Google Docs
- Replace iCloud
- Nextcloud vs Seafile
- All compare pages
- Best open-source roundups
- All replace pages
- All stacks
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