Cloudreve vs ownCloud
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted file sync & storage options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Cloudreve
File management and sharing system, supports multiple storage
VS
ownCloud
Open-source file sync, share and content collaboration
| Feature | Cloudreve | ownCloud |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 97 · Excellent | 92 · Excellent |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Go | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 28,751 | ★ 8,830 |
| First released | None | 2010 |
| Replaces | Google Drive | Dropbox, Google Drive |
What are Cloudreve and ownCloud?
Cloudreve
Cloudreve is a file management and sharing system with a polished web UI that supports local, S3, OneDrive and other storage backends. It targets users who want a personal cloud drive with sharing links. It is deployed via a single Go binary or Docker.
- Multiple storage backends
- Shareable links with passwords
- WebDAV access
- Multi-user with quotas
ownCloud
ownCloud is a file sync and share server that lets organizations host their own cloud storage with sharing and collaboration features. It targets businesses and individuals wanting an established self-hosted alternative to commercial cloud storage. It is deployed via Docker or a traditional PHP stack.
- Established sync and share platform
- LDAP and enterprise integrations
- Newer ownCloud Infinite Scale rewrite
- Desktop and mobile clients
Cloudreve vs ownCloud: key differences
Cloudreve is written in Go, while ownCloud is built with PHP. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Cloudreve versus AGPL-3.0 for ownCloud. Cloudreve has the considerably larger community, at 28,751 GitHub stars versus 8,830.
Why pick each one
Choose Cloudreve if…
- Multiple storage backends
- Single Go binary
- Polished web interface
Watch out for
- Docs partly in Chinese
- Some features Pro-only
Choose ownCloud if…
- Mature and stable
- Enterprise features available
- Good admin controls
Watch out for
- Nextcloud forked away most momentum
- Classic core in maintenance mode
Frequently asked questions
Is Cloudreve or ownCloud better?
Neither is universally better. Cloudreve has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Cloudreve and ownCloud free and open-source?
Yes. Cloudreve is licensed under GPL-3.0 and ownCloud under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Cloudreve and ownCloud with Docker?
Cloudreve: yes. ownCloud: yes.