OpenCloud 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.
OpenCloud
Modern open-source file platform from ownCloud team
VS
Pydio Cells
Document sharing and collaboration for organizations
| Feature | OpenCloud | Pydio Cells |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 90 · Excellent | 86 · Excellent |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | Apache-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Go | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 6,056 | ★ 2,252 |
| First released | 2025 | 2018 |
| Replaces | Dropbox, Google Drive | Dropbox, Box, Google Drive |
What are OpenCloud and Pydio Cells?
OpenCloud
OpenCloud is a modern open-source file sync, share, and collaboration platform built on a microservice architecture. It targets organizations wanting a current, lightweight content collaboration server. It is deployed via Docker Compose.
- Microservice-based architecture
- Web-based collaboration
- Lightweight Go backend
- Compatible desktop clients
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
OpenCloud vs Pydio Cells: key differences
Both projects are written in Go. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for OpenCloud versus AGPL-3.0 for Pydio Cells. Pydio Cells is the more established project (first released 2018), while OpenCloud arrived in 2025. OpenCloud has the considerably larger community, at 6,056 GitHub stars versus 2,252.
Why pick each one
Choose OpenCloud if…
- Modern, fast codebase
- Lightweight footprint
- Permissively licensed
Watch out for
- Very new project
- Smaller ecosystem so far
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 OpenCloud or Pydio Cells better?
Neither is universally better. OpenCloud has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are OpenCloud and Pydio Cells free and open-source?
Yes. OpenCloud is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Pydio Cells under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run OpenCloud and Pydio Cells with Docker?
OpenCloud: yes. Pydio Cells: yes.