Open-source alternative
Replace Dropbox with copyparty + ClovaLink + Syncthing
The best open-source alternative to Dropbox is copyparty (or ClovaLink) with Syncthing, self-hosted on Railway. Share, sync, and store files without Dropbox's per-user storage meter.
Estimated save $1,800 a year.
Open the stack Deploy on Railway
How Dropbox compares
| Dropbox | copyparty + ClovaLink + Syncthing | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Per-user storage plans | Open-source or fair-code license; you pay the host |
| Hosting | Vendor cloud | Self-hosted on Railway or any VPS |
| Rough monthly cost | Plus $9.99/mo; Standard $15/user/mo; Advanced $24/user/mo source | Hosting only — no SaaS seat meter in this repo |
- copyparty
Portable file server, WebDAV, resumable uploads
- ClovaLink
Self-hosted multi-tenant file management
- Syncthing
P2P folder sync, no vendor cloud
FAQ
- Is it free?
- The copyparty + ClovaLink + Syncthing licenses are open source or fair-code. You still pay hosting (Railway or any VPS) and any APIs the stack calls. There is no Dropbox seat or task bill on this path.
- Can I migrate from Dropbox?
- Yes. Start with the workflows or data you actually use, then cut over. The copyparty + ClovaLink + Syncthing stack page has the agent prompt and the cost table; most teams rebuild the slice that matters and leave old Dropbox links until they expire.
- How do I deploy it?
- Open the copyparty + ClovaLink + Syncthing stack, copy the agent prompt, and deploy on Railway (one service, PORT, and a volume when the app needs disk). Placeholder: copyparty (or ClovaLink) with a volume for blobs. Syncthing stays on the laptops; the Railway box is the share link.
- What does this replace?
- Dropbox. The published small-team estimate on this stack is $1,800 a year.
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