Nextcloud Desktop Sync vs SFTPGo
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted file sync & storage options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
SFTPGo
Full-featured SFTP, FTP and WebDAV server
| Feature | Nextcloud Desktop Sync | SFTPGo |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 91 · Excellent | 95 · Excellent |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known in v35.0.0 | None known in v2.7.6 |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | GPL-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | C++ | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | binary | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,908 | ★ 12,660 |
| First released | 2016 | 2019 |
| Replaces | Dropbox, OneDrive | Dropbox |
What are Nextcloud Desktop Sync and SFTPGo?
Nextcloud Desktop Sync
The Nextcloud desktop client keeps files synchronized between your computer and a Nextcloud server, with selective sync and virtual files support. It is the primary way to sync folders from desktop platforms.
- Folder synchronization
- Selective sync
- Virtual files support
- Cross-platform
SFTPGo
SFTPGo is a configurable file transfer server supporting SFTP, FTP/S, WebDAV, and HTTP access with cloud storage backends. It suits administrators who need secure, multi-protocol file access. It is deployed via Docker or a single binary.
- SFTP, FTP, WebDAV and HTTP support
- Cloud storage backends
- Per-user quotas and rules
- Web admin and REST API
Nextcloud Desktop Sync vs SFTPGo: key differences
Nextcloud Desktop Sync is written in C++, while SFTPGo is built with Go. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for Nextcloud Desktop Sync versus AGPL-3.0 for SFTPGo. SFTPGo is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Nextcloud Desktop Sync. Nextcloud Desktop Sync is the more established project (first released 2016), while SFTPGo arrived in 2019. SFTPGo has the considerably larger community, at 12,660 GitHub stars versus 3,908. SFTPGo lists first-class Docker deployment; Nextcloud Desktop Sync does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Nextcloud Desktop Sync if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (3.9k GitHub stars)
- Written in C++
Choose SFTPGo if…
- Multi-protocol in one binary
- Flexible storage backends
- Strong access controls
Watch out for
- No sync client
- Configuration can be complex
Frequently asked questions
Is Nextcloud Desktop Sync or SFTPGo better?
Neither is universally better. SFTPGo has the larger community, while Nextcloud Desktop Sync is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Nextcloud Desktop Sync and SFTPGo free and open-source?
Yes. Nextcloud Desktop Sync is licensed under GPL-2.0 and SFTPGo under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Nextcloud Desktop Sync and SFTPGo with Docker?
Nextcloud Desktop Sync: check the project docs for container support. SFTPGo: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Nextcloud Desktop Sync or SFTPGo?
SFTPGo has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Nextcloud Desktop Sync. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.