Last checked October 15, 2026
Best Free Alternatives to Google Drive (2026)
Drive is storage plus a browser editor. Takeout gives you the files. Comments inside a Doc are a separate problem from the file itself.
What Google Drive costs
Paid plans exist. A current dollar figure is not copied into this listing.
Ranked by Drop-in score
How we rank#1 is the highest-scoring alternative that is not sponsored. A featured listing, when one is sold, is labeled and sits after #1.
- 90#1Open sourceReview notes
Nextcloud
The self-hosted Dropbox, plus the apps you turn on.
Last checked October 15, 2026 · AGPL-3.0
MacWindowsLinuxiOSAndroidWebSelf-host - 83#2Open sourceReview notes
ownCloud
The file-sync project Nextcloud forked from.
Last checked October 15, 2026 · AGPL-3.0 (ownCloud server 10)
MacWindowsLinuxiOSAndroidWebSelf-host - 83#3Open sourceReview notes
Pydio Cells
A file platform with shares and previews.
Last checked October 15, 2026 · AGPL-3.0
WebSelf-host - 80#4Open sourceReview notes
Seafile
File sync with a GPL community edition.
Last checked October 15, 2026 · GPL (community edition)
MacWindowsLinuxiOSAndroidWebSelf-host - 60#5Open sourceReview notes
Syncthing
Continuous file sync between your devices, with no central server.
Last checked October 15, 2026 · MPL-2.0
MacWindowsLinuxAndroid
Feature by feature
Full is the whole job. Partial is a real version with a gap. Missing means it does not do this. Not checked counts as zero in the score.
| Feature | Nextcloud#1 · 90 | ownCloud#2 · 83 | Pydio Cells#3 · 83 | Seafile#4 · 80 | Syncthing#5 · 60 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Store filesWeight 10 | Full | Full | Full | Full | Full |
| A desktop sync clientWeight 8 | Full | Full | Full | Full | Full |
| Share links and permissionsWeight 8 | Full | Full | Full | Full | Missing |
| Edit a document in the browserWeight 8 | Partial | Partial | Partial | Missing | Missing |
| Previous versionsWeight 6 | Full | Partial | Partial | Full | Full |
Real cost
Nextcloud
- Free tier
- The server is free to host. Nextcloud GmbH sells enterprise support. Many hosting companies sell managed Nextcloud.
- Hosted plan
- No hosted price recorded.
- Self-hosting
- Moderate. A small team fits in Docker or a snap. Backups, upgrades, and the office suite are the ongoing work. Approximate server cost: $8–20/mo for a small team. Unverified estimate.
ownCloud
- Free tier
- The community server is free to host. Enterprise features are commercial.
- Hosted plan
- No hosted price recorded.
- Self-hosting
- Moderate. Similar operational weight to Nextcloud. Know which edition you are installing before you start. Approximate server cost: $8–20/mo. Unverified estimate.
Pydio Cells
- Free tier
- The community edition can be self-hosted without a per-user fee. Hosted prices are not copied here. Unverified.
- Hosted plan
- No hosted price recorded.
- Self-hosting
- Hard. More moving parts than a single sync binary.
Seafile
- Free tier
- Community edition is free to self-host.
- Hosted plan
- No hosted price recorded.
- Self-hosting
- Moderate. Docker is documented. You still plan disks and backups yourself. Approximate server cost: $8–20/mo. Unverified estimate.
Syncthing
- Free tier
- The software is free. You do not pay a vendor.
- Hosted plan
- No hosted price recorded.
- Self-hosting
- Easy. No central server is required. An always-on device at home can act as the copy that stays online. Approximate server cost: $0 if an existing device stays on. Unverified estimate.
Top pair
Migrate from Google Drive to Nextcloud
Use Google Takeout.
Read the migration guide