FileRun vs Nextcloud

A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted file sync & storage options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.

Not the right match-up?
FeatureFileRunNextcloud
CategoryFile Sync & StorageFile Sync & Storage
License⊘ ProprietaryAGPL-3.0
LanguagePHPPHP
Setup difficultyMediumMedium
Min. RAM512 MB512 MB
Deploymentbare-metaldocker, bare-metal, snap
GitHub stars★ 36,362
First released20202016
ReplacesDropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft 365

Why pick each one

Choose FileRun if…

  • Released under the ⊘ Proprietary license
  • Written in PHP
  • Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
FileRun details

Choose Nextcloud if…

  • Feature-rich and extensible
  • Active development and large community
  • Integrates calendar, contacts and office
Nextcloud details

Frequently asked questions

Is FileRun or Nextcloud better?

Neither is universally better. Nextcloud has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.

Are FileRun and Nextcloud free and open-source?

Yes. FileRun is licensed under ⊘ Proprietary and Nextcloud under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run FileRun and Nextcloud with Docker?

FileRun: check the project docs for container support. Nextcloud: yes.

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