ownCloud Web vs Spacedrive
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted file sync & storage options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | ownCloud Web | Spacedrive |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 15 · At risk | 83 · Excellent |
| Status | Archived | Actively maintained |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Rust |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker | binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 567 | ★ 39,022 |
| First released | 2020 | 2022 |
| Replaces | Dropbox, Google Drive | Google Drive, Dropbox |
What are ownCloud Web and Spacedrive?
ownCloud Web
ownCloud Web is the modern single-page web frontend for ownCloud file storage and sharing. It provides fast file management, sharing, and collaboration in the browser.
- Modern file management UI
- File sharing
- Browser-based collaboration
- Fast single-page app
Spacedrive
Spacedrive is an open-source, cross-platform file manager written in Rust, built around a virtual distributed filesystem (VDFS). It indexes and organizes files across multiple devices and storage locations from a single native app.
- Virtual distributed filesystem
- Indexes files across devices
- Cross-platform native app
ownCloud Web vs Spacedrive: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: ownCloud Web's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Spacedrive is actively maintained. OwnCloud Web is written in TypeScript, while Spacedrive is built with Rust. OwnCloud Web is the more established project (first released 2020), while Spacedrive arrived in 2022. Spacedrive has the considerably larger community, at 39,022 GitHub stars versus 567. OwnCloud Web lists first-class Docker deployment; Spacedrive does not.
Why pick each one
Choose ownCloud Web if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in TypeScript
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Choose Spacedrive if…
- Unified multi-device view
- Modern Rust core
- Cross-platform clients
Watch out for
- Still beta quality
- Sync features incomplete
Frequently asked questions
Is ownCloud Web or Spacedrive better?
Neither is universally better. Spacedrive has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are ownCloud Web and Spacedrive free and open-source?
Yes. ownCloud Web is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Spacedrive under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run ownCloud Web and Spacedrive with Docker?
ownCloud Web: yes. Spacedrive: check the project docs for container support.