Best Self-Hosted File Sync & Storage in 2026
Quick Picks
| Need | Best Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Nextcloud | Full cloud platform with file sync, calendar, contacts, apps |
| Simplest sync | Syncthing | Peer-to-peer, no server needed, just works |
| Fastest sync | Seafile | Optimized for large libraries with delta sync |
| Simple web files | FileBrowser | Lightweight web file manager, no sync client |
The Full Breakdown
1. Nextcloud — Best Overall
Nextcloud is the Swiss Army knife. File sync, web access, sharing links, document editing, calendar, contacts, video calls — it replaces Google Workspace. The tradeoff is complexity and resource usage. It needs tuning for good performance, especially with large file libraries.
Strengths: Most features, largest community, document editing with Collabora/OnlyOffice, app ecosystem. Weaknesses: Heavy on resources (2GB+ RAM), needs Redis and database tuning, sync client can be slow with many files.
2. Syncthing — Simplest Sync
Syncthing syncs files between devices directly — no server needed. Encrypted peer-to-peer transfers, conflict detection, file versioning. It does one thing perfectly.
Strengths: No server required, peer-to-peer encryption, minimal resources, extremely reliable. Weaknesses: No web file access, no sharing links, limited iOS support.
3. Seafile — Fastest Sync
Seafile is optimized for performance. It uses delta sync (only transfers changed blocks), making it significantly faster than Nextcloud for syncing large libraries. The interface is clean and focused on file management.
Strengths: Fastest sync, delta transfers, lower resource usage than Nextcloud. Weaknesses: Fewer features than Nextcloud, smaller community, no built-in calendar/contacts.
4. FileBrowser — Simplest Web Access
FileBrowser is a lightweight web file manager. No sync clients — just a web UI for browsing, uploading, and downloading files. Perfect if you want simple web access to files on your server without the overhead of Nextcloud.
Strengths: Extremely lightweight, simple setup, clean web UI. Weaknesses: No sync client, no mobile app, limited sharing features.
Comparison Table
| Feature | Nextcloud | Syncthing | Seafile | FileBrowser |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| File sync | Yes | Yes (P2P) | Yes | No |
| Web access | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Sharing links | Yes | No | Yes | Basic |
| Document editing | Yes (addon) | No | Yes (addon) | No |
| Calendar/Contacts | Yes | No | No | No |
| Mobile app | Yes | Android | Yes | No |
| Server required | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Resource usage | Heavy | Light | Medium | Very light |
How We Evaluated
We prioritized: sync reliability, feature set, ease of setup, performance with large libraries, and resource usage. Nextcloud wins on features, Syncthing wins on simplicity and reliability, Seafile wins on performance.
See also: Nextcloud vs Syncthing | Replace Google Drive | Replace Dropbox