OpenCloud 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.
Not the right match-up?
OpenCloud
Modern open-source file platform from ownCloud team
VS
ownCloud
Open-source file sync, share and content collaboration
| Feature | OpenCloud | ownCloud |
|---|---|---|
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | Apache-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Go | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 5,792 | ★ 8,831 |
| First released | 2025 | 2010 |
| Replaces | Dropbox, Google Drive | Dropbox, Google Drive |
Why pick each one
Choose OpenCloud if…
- Modern, fast codebase
- Lightweight footprint
- Permissively licensed
Choose ownCloud if…
- Mature and stable
- Enterprise features available
- Good admin controls
Frequently asked questions
Is OpenCloud or ownCloud better?
Neither is universally better. ownCloud has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are OpenCloud and ownCloud free and open-source?
Yes. OpenCloud is licensed under Apache-2.0 and ownCloud under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run OpenCloud and ownCloud with Docker?
OpenCloud: yes. ownCloud: yes.