Cloud storage lets you keep files available across multiple devices, share data with other people, maintain backups and extend the storage available on devices with limited local capacity.
Commercial cloud services make this convenient, but they also place your data and much of the underlying infrastructure in the hands of a third party. Self-hosting offers another approach: you decide where the files live and retain control of the server and its configuration.
The software available ranges from comprehensive collaboration platforms to lightweight personal clouds and distributed object storage systems. Here’s our pick of the best self-hosted cloud storage software.
Our verdict is captured in a legendary LinuxLinks-style ratings chart. Only free and open source software is eligible for inclusion here.
Click the links in the table below to learn more about each tool.
| Self-Hosted Cloud Storage Tools | |
|---|---|
| Puter | Privacy-first personal cloud |
| Nextcloud | Personal cloud storage, text editor, photo gallery, file share, calendaring app |
| Cloudreve | Self-hosted file management system with multi-cloud support |
| Seafile | Cloud storage system with privacy protection and teamwork features |
| RustFS | Put S3 and Swift storage on a cluster with healing and replication |
| ownCloud | File sync and sharing platform based on Infinite Scale |
| VersityGW | Make existing filesystems speak the language of S3 |
| Peergos | Secure file storage, social network and application protocol |
| MyDrive | Cloud file storage server |
| Pydio Cells | File sharing platform for organizations |
| OxiCloud | Self-hosted cloud with WebDAV, CalDAV and CardDAV |
| OpenCloud | File sharing and collaboration solution |
| Sync-in | Synchronise files between servers with scheduled, two-way transfers |
| Garage | S3-compatible distributed object storage service |
| Alarik | Spread S3 data across a cluster with erasure coding and a web console |
| Twake Drive | Alternative to Google Drive |
| Flowinity | Image uploader and file storage solution |
| S4 | Store more in less space using append-only volumes and deduplication |
| HS5 | Fast single-node S3 storage with metadata kept apart |
| Trove | Your own file cloud, with full-text search and secure sharing links |
This article has been updated to reflect the changes outlined in our recent announcement.
 Explore our carefully curated directory of recommended free and open source software, covering every major software category.The directory forms part of our extensive collection of articles for Linux enthusiasts. It includes hundreds of detailed reviews, together with free and open source alternatives to proprietary software from companies such as Google, Microsoft, Apple, Adobe, IBM, Cisco, Oracle, and Autodesk. LinuxLinks also covers interesting projects worth exploring, Linux-compatible hardware, free programming books and tutorials, and much more. Know a useful free and open source Linux application that we haven’t covered? Tell us about it using our submission form. |
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