Cloudreve vs Pydio Cells
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
Pydio Cells
Document sharing and collaboration for organizations
| Feature | Cloudreve | Pydio Cells |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 97 · Excellent | 86 · Excellent |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Go | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 28,751 | ★ 2,252 |
| First released | None | 2018 |
| Replaces | Google Drive | Dropbox, Box, Google Drive |
What are Cloudreve and Pydio Cells?
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
Pydio Cells
Pydio Cells is a content collaboration platform for organizations, offering file sharing, workspaces, and access controls. It is designed for teams and enterprises needing governed document collaboration. It is deployed via Docker or native binaries.
- Workspace-based collaboration
- Granular access control
- Built-in search and metadata
- Mobile and desktop clients
Cloudreve vs Pydio Cells: key differences
Both projects are written in Go. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Cloudreve versus AGPL-3.0 for Pydio Cells. Cloudreve has the considerably larger community, at 28,751 GitHub stars versus 2,252.
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 Pydio Cells if…
- Strong enterprise features
- Modern Go codebase
- Good access governance
Watch out for
- Heavier than simple tools
- Smaller community
Frequently asked questions
Is Cloudreve or Pydio Cells 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 Pydio Cells free and open-source?
Yes. Cloudreve is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Pydio Cells under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Cloudreve and Pydio Cells with Docker?
Cloudreve: yes. Pydio Cells: yes.