ownCloud vs ownCloud Infinite Scale
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted file sync & storage options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
ownCloud
Open-source file sync, share and content collaboration
VS
ownCloud Infinite Scale
Go-based file sync and share server, successor to ownCloud PHP
| Feature | ownCloud | ownCloud Infinite Scale |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 92 · Excellent | 86 · Excellent |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | PHP | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 8,830 | ★ 2,127 |
| First released | 2010 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Dropbox, Google Drive | Dropbox, Google Drive |
What are ownCloud and ownCloud Infinite Scale?
ownCloud
ownCloud is a file sync and share server that lets organizations host their own cloud storage with sharing and collaboration features. It targets businesses and individuals wanting an established self-hosted alternative to commercial cloud storage. It is deployed via Docker or a traditional PHP stack.
- Established sync and share platform
- LDAP and enterprise integrations
- Newer ownCloud Infinite Scale rewrite
- Desktop and mobile clients
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
ownCloud vs ownCloud Infinite Scale: key differences
OwnCloud is written in PHP, while ownCloud Infinite Scale is built with Go. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for ownCloud versus Apache-2.0 for ownCloud Infinite Scale. OwnCloud is the more established project (first released 2010), while ownCloud Infinite Scale arrived in 2020. OwnCloud has the considerably larger community, at 8,830 GitHub stars versus 2,127.
Why pick each one
Choose ownCloud if…
- Mature and stable
- Enterprise features available
- Good admin controls
Watch out for
- Nextcloud forked away most momentum
- Classic core in maintenance mode
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
Frequently asked questions
Is ownCloud or ownCloud Infinite Scale 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 ownCloud and ownCloud Infinite Scale free and open-source?
Yes. ownCloud is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and ownCloud Infinite Scale under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run ownCloud and ownCloud Infinite Scale with Docker?
ownCloud: yes. ownCloud Infinite Scale: yes.