ownCloud Infinite Scale 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.
| Feature | ownCloud Infinite Scale | Pydio Cells |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 86 · 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, binary | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,127 | ★ 2,252 |
| First released | 2020 | 2018 |
| Replaces | Dropbox, Google Drive | Dropbox, Box, Google Drive |
What are ownCloud Infinite Scale and Pydio Cells?
ownCloud Infinite Scale
ownCloud Infinite Scale (oCIS) is the Go-based successor to the PHP ownCloud server. It provides file sync and share with a microservices architecture, Spaces for team collaboration, and OpenID Connect authentication.
- Built in Go for performance
- Spaces-based collaboration
- OpenID Connect support
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
ownCloud Infinite Scale vs Pydio Cells: key differences
Both projects are written in Go. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for ownCloud Infinite Scale versus AGPL-3.0 for Pydio Cells. Pydio Cells is the more established project (first released 2018), while ownCloud Infinite Scale arrived in 2020.
Why pick each one
Choose ownCloud Infinite Scale if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (2.1k GitHub stars)
- Written in Go
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 ownCloud Infinite Scale or Pydio Cells better?
Neither is universally better. Pydio Cells has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are ownCloud Infinite Scale and Pydio Cells free and open-source?
Yes. ownCloud Infinite Scale 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 ownCloud Infinite Scale and Pydio Cells with Docker?
ownCloud Infinite Scale: yes. Pydio Cells: yes.