4 Open Source alternatives to Dropbox in 2026
We compare 4 self-hostable tools you can deploy on your own server in minutes, with license, tech stack and a ready-to-copy docker-compose.
Quick comparison
Sorted by featured first, then GitHub stars as a tiebreaker — the same rule we use across the whole site.
| Tool | License | Minimum RAM | Docker | GitHub |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nextcloud 1-Click Deploy | AGPL-3.0 | ~1GB | ✅ | ★ ~27,000 |
| Syncthing Lightest option100% FOSSMost popular on GitHub1-Click Deploy | MPL-2.0 | ~256MB | ✅ | ★ ~65,000 |
| Seafile 1-Click Deploy | AGPL-3.0 | ~1GB | ✅ | ★ ~12,000 |
| Pydio Cells | AGPL-3.0 | ~512MB | ✅ | ★ ~2,000 |
Detailed profile of each alternative
Alternative to Google Drive, Dropbox
File cloud and collaboration, an alternative to Google Drive.
Alternative to Dropbox
Encrypted, efficient file sync, an alternative to Dropbox.
Alternative to Dropbox
Encrypted P2P sync between devices, a decentralized alternative to Dropbox.
Alternative to Dropbox
Enterprise file sharing with auditing, an alternative to Dropbox Business.
How much does Dropbox cost, and how much can you save?
Dropbox costs $15/mo per user. Self-hosting the alternative, you only pay for the server — usually a few dollars a month.
Calculate your exact savings in the SaaS Audit →Already know which one you want?
Add Nextcloud to the Stack Builder and generate a ready-to-deploy docker-compose.yml, alone or alongside the rest of your stack.
Build my stackFrequently asked questions
Do I need Docker to self-host a Dropbox alternative?
Yes, for all 4: each one has a ready-to-copy docker-compose.yml. You just need Docker installed on your server.
How much RAM do I need at minimum?
The lightest option on this list is Syncthing, which runs on as little as 256MB of RAM — enough for a cheap VPS.
Are they all 100% free, or are there paid features like on Dropbox?
1 out of 4 are 100% FOSS. The rest are Open-Core: the core is free and self-hostable, but some advanced feature may stay paid — we call it out on each tool's page.