Open-source software review: Nextcloud
File storage and real-time collaboration are all a necessity for businesses and individuals, but most commercial solutions fail to deliver on the privacy and security aspects, leaving your files and data vulnerable and exposed if not stored correctly.
However, there is an open-source, self-hosted solution that offers everything that most commercial software and more, while also keeping your data safe at all times - Nextcloud. In this open-source software review, we are going to be testing every single aspect of Nextcloud in order to find out whether it really lives up to the hype and proves itself as a viable and reliable alternative to popular storage and collaboration software.
What is Nextcloud?
Nextcloud is an open-source, self-hosted cloud platform that allows for easy data storage, management and sharing. It’s a fantastic alternative to popular cloud storage services such as Google Drive and OneDrive. Nextcloud allows you to get complete control over your data, its storage and access to it. With a large variety of tools that can be used for synchronization and concurrent file editing, the software combines ease of use with privacy protection and security.
The software was founded by Frank Karlitschek in April of 2016. After founding ownCloud in 2010, Karlitschek decided to split from his initial creation due to his dissatisfaction with the direction in which ownCloud was heading, bringing in more commercialization and governance, which collided with his starting idea. Because of this, Nextcloud was created with the principles of privacy, security, transparency and user-centricity.
Due to this, in combination with its collaboration tools and the vast range of apps in its ecosystem, Nextcloud has become a go-to choice for many. Not to mention that updates and input from both users and developers are used as a base for recommendations when it comes to implementing new features. This ensures that Nextcloud constantly stays on top of its game by offering solutions that are responses to real-world needs.
Principles Behind Nextcloud
As we already mentioned, user-centricity plays a pivotal role in Nextcloud’s world. But what are the other goals and ideas behind the project?
Firstly, it focuses on data sovereignty. Nextcloud aims to empower users by letting them control their own data. This is also backed up by the fact that Nextcloud is an open-source software that you can self-host on your own server or desired hosting provider, which removes the risk of third-party interference and data misuse.
Secondly, the platform is devoted to protecting your privacy and security. This is because the software is designed to comply with privacy regulations laws like GDPR, HIPAA and others, which makes Nextcloud an ideal choice for all types of business and industries.
Thirdly, Nextcloud aims to remain open-source and transparent. Operating under an AGPLv3 license, the source code for the platform is freely available for everyone, resulting in no exploits, backdoors or hidden features.
Next, the platform is also committed to remaining flexible and customizable, allowing users to tailor the software to their liking. This is why, as we previously mentioned, Nextcloud comes with a modular app architecture, enabling users to add or disable apps that they want or not in order to create their perfect environment.
Finally, Nextcloud aims to promote collaboration and boost productivity by offering features like file sharing, real-time editing, task management and prioritization and others, making it a fantastic choice for small and larger teams.
All of these principles aim for decentralization, better privacy protection and full user control. By following these ideas and continuing to evolve with innovations like AI integrations and automation tools, Nextcloud invests in not only the present but the future as well.
Pricing and Plans
In general, Nextcloud is completely free and due to its open-source nature, anyone can download, install and utilize the software without having to pay anything. Not only that but the source code can also be modified and distributed, allowing developers to customize their setups.
However, while the software is free when it comes to its core features, there are also Enterprise Plans that are specifically designed for businesses and organizations that are looking for something extra. These plans come with additional features and support that aim to take the hassle out of developing custom solutions for the software as well as data management. Here’s how both versions compare to each other:
Feature |
Free Version |
Enterprise Plans |
Cost |
Free |
Subscription-based |
Support |
Community forums and resources |
Dedicated 24/7 support |
Updates |
Standard community updates |
Priority updates and hotfixes |
Compliance |
Basic tools for GDPR/HIPAA |
Advanced compliance features |
Customizations |
User-managed |
Professional services |
Performance Tuning |
Limited |
Optimization for large-scale use |
Scalability |
Suitable for individuals/small teams |
Designed for thousands of users |
Consulting Services |
None |
Included for tailored deployments |
As it can be seen, the enterprise plans are designed for those businesses that are looking for additional support and tailored customizations. These are generally large organizations or institutions that need expert assistance in a timely manner in order to minimize downtime. These are also users that are looking for advanced compliance tools and scalability so that they can handle a substantial number of concurrent users. In terms of price, there is no particular number that you can immediately notice as each project is different, meaning that if you do decide to invest into a premium plan, you will need to request a quote first.
In general, Nextcloud offers a great option for smaller businesses and personal projects, while also catering for those bigger organizations and enterprises that require something extra from the platform. This perfect balance allows the software to shine, being a fantastic option for everyone.
Key Nextcloud Features
Now that we’ve gone over the software’s principles and pricing plans, let’s look into what Nextcloud actually offers.
File Syncing and Sharing
To start, Nextcloud comes with cross-device synchronization. This ensures consistent and constant access to your data regardless of the device that you are using. Want to do some work on your Windows, macOS or Linux desktop? No problem, your changes are automatically saved and synced so that the next time you are on the go and need to access something, you will be able to do so from your mobile device.
Additionally, you also have the option to share files and folders with certain users or groups by setting access permissions. Not only that, but you can also do this type of file management at a very granular level as you are allowed to set both read-only and write permissions as well as expiry dates and passwords, which offer extra security.
Finally, there is also the option to connect and share files between Nextcloud instances, which is a fantastic way to promote collaboration between different businesses that are also using the platform.
Collaboration Tools
Speaking of collaboration, Nextcloud comes with a built-in web-based document editor that is very similar to Microsoft Office. This means that in addition to being very easy to work with, it also allows for real-time editing and collaboration on different documents, spreadsheets and even presentations.
Not only that but the software also features a secure platform for chatting, messaging and video conferencing. It also comes with its own calendar allowing you to schedule events and manage contacts, which are all great tools when it comes to task management, setting deadlines and tracking progress.
Extensive App Ecosystem
Nextcloud comes equipped with its very own app sharing space, which you can use to download and install hundreds of apps that improve upon the platform’s functionalities. Some examples include Deck for project management, Notes for not taking and a password manager that you can also use to store your credentials.
Integration with External Services
Furthermore, Nextcloud also offers additional features like connecting to external storage providers. This adds extra flexibility and gives you the option to sync with Google Drive, AWS S3, Dropbox and even FTP access as well as WebDAV. Not only that but you can also integrate it with tools like Microsoft Teams and other custom third-party APIs.
Automation and Workflows
Nextcloud has its very own Flow feature that lets you automate boring and repetitive tasks like tagging files and sending notifications, which can save you a lot of time.
Mobile and Desktop Clients
When it comes to ease of use, Nextcloud has its very own desktop and mobile-native apps meaning that you get a consistent experience regardless of your device. Not only that, but you also get offline access, meaning that you can still work even if you don’t have an Internet connection as changes you make will be automatically synced when you do get Internet access.
Lesser-Known Features
While the most important features of the platform are very easy to spot, there are also some lesser-known ones that are actually really useful, but not everyone knows about them.
File Versioning and Trash
Similar to tools like Google Sheets and Docs, Nextcloud automatically keeps a previous version of all files, allowing you to restore to an older version if needed, promoting recovery. There is also a trash bin that serves as a buffer in case you mistakenly delete a file.
End-to-End Encryption
A very overlooked feature, Nextcloud also offers end-to-end encryption for your files, which adds an extra layer of security. This works by encrypting files locally on the user’s device prior to uploading them to the server, which minimizes the risk of data leaks.
Theming and Branding
You have the option to customize the feel of your Nextcloud interface by adding logos, changing colours and installing different themes.
Collaboration Notifications
As we touched upon in the automation section before, you have the option to send and receive notification when a given file is shared, edited or commented, meaning that you will always stay on track with everything.
Accessibility Features
Nextcloud also aims to support accessibility, implementing features like support for screen readers, keyboard navigation, contrast management and others that can help make the platform usable for everyone.
Facial Recognition
While not that popular, Nextcloud does have its very own facial recognition function, which allows you to manage large photo collections easier. This is a fantastic feature for photographers and businesses that manage large amounts of images.
Monitoring and Analytics
Finally, there is also the monitoring app, which allows you to track system performance, user activity and other information such as storage capacity and resource usage.
Now that we’ve gone over the platform’s features, it’s time to put it to the test.
How Secure Is Nextcloud?
When it comes to security, there are a plethora of tools and methods that make sure that your data stays safe and secure. Here are some of the most prominent ones that guarantee your privacy and security when using Nextcloud.
Secure data transmission
Nextcloud is TLS-enabled by default with Let's Encrypt certificates. Because of this, for example, you will not need to take any additional steps to enable HTTPS if you were to install the software on one of our VPSBG servers (if you are going to be following the Docker installation method besides having a domain with A DNS record pointing to your server's IP address, which we will cover later on).
After installation Nextcloud enforces HTTPS, ensuring all data in transit is encrypted and protected from eavesdropping. Additionally, if you were to upload a file via the Web UI, you’d get this HTTP query:
201 PUT scheme https host nextcloud.vps.bgfilename/remote.php/dav/files/admin/Documents/install.sh
This confirms that uploads are also using HTTPS as expected. The Strict-Transport-Security (HSTS) header is also present, which forces browsers to always connect to Nextcloud over HTTPS, even if a user types ‘http://’ in front of the URL or clicks on an insecure link. This effectively prevents Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) attacks that rely on downgrading connections to HTTP.
Storage server-side encryption
Nextcloud offers server-side encryption to protect your data at rest. To test this, we first had to turn on the server file encryption as it is disabled by default. For this, the app "Default Encryption Module" has to be enabled and the "Server-side encryption" slider in the Security settings also needs to be turned on. Keep in mind that this will only encrypt any new files coming into the server.
As stated by Nextcloud, the encryption keys will be present in memory of the Nextcloud server during the time a user is logged in and could be retrieved by a determined attacker. Another downside is that this slightly increases file size - we uploaded a 15MB PDF file which rose by 1.2% in size. We also tested whether there would be some slight overhead in general read/write operations performance when it comes to the files, as the data needs to be encrypted and decrypted. This overhead was not present in our tests, but some larger files might operate generally slower.
To confirm that the files were encrypted, we directly accessed the raw Docker volume and we noticed that all files were indeed unreadable. This means that even if the physical server storing your Nextcloud data was to be compromised, the files themselves would remain protected. The default cipher uses AES-256-CTR, which is a strong encryption algorithm, computationally infeasible to be cracked with the current technology.
Before encryption:
After encryption:
CSP & HSTS that prevent XSS, MITM
Nextcloud implements several security headers to defend against common web attacks like Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) and Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) attacks. Inspecting the HTTP requests, we verified that Nextcloud correctly sets headers like Content-Security-Policy, Referrer-Policy, X-Content-Type-Options, X-Frame-Options and Strict-Transport-Security (HSTS), which we already mentioned. These headers instruct browsers to enforce security policies, adding a crucial layer of protection for Nextcloud users.
We also did note the absence of the Permissions-Policy. This newer header allows fine-grained control over browser features and APIs. While its absence isn't a critical vulnerability, its inclusion could further strengthen the security configuration.
Two-factor authentication
We enabled 2FA in Nextcloud using the official guide and Google Authenticator on our mobile device. Setting it up was straightforward and upon testing, we confirmed that login attempts were indeed protected and required a code from the authenticator app in addition to the password. This makes it way harder for attackers to gain unauthorized access to accounts, even if passwords are compromised.
File access control
Nextcloud allows for extremely easy file/folder sharing between users and groups. We did put this to the test by creating a restricted user account. Within two clicks we were able to share an administrator-owned folder with them. There are also flexible permissions options such as Read, Create, Edit, Share, Delete among others. There is even an option to set an expiration date for these elevated permissions.
Brute force protection & alert notifications
Nextcloud's has a built-in brute-force protection system that is designed to defend against various password-guessing attacks targeting user accounts. Beyond simple attempts to use common passwords, it also mitigates more complex attacks leveraging password reset mechanisms or app password tokens. When activated, this protection temporarily reduces the speed of any requests that originate from the IP address that triggers it, impacting connections for a 24-hour period on protected areas of the server.
Administrators also have the ability to exempt specific IP addresses or ranges from this brute-force protection. This exemption is valuable for testing server security configurations as well as for addressing situations where legitimate activity from a shared IP address might incorrectly trigger the protection.
There are also notifications on password and email modifications, along other miscellaneous security events.
Tracking logs and user activity
As we previously mentioned, Nextcloud provides activity tracking capabilities through the built-in Activity app. We verified that Nextcloud does log detailed system events and user actions, such as file uploads and renames, folder creations and shares, logins among many others. There is comprehensive sorting system that allows to check your user logs, other users' logs, by certain actions, etc.
Potential Security Concerns and How to Mitigate Them
Problem |
Protection |
Improper Configuration |
You need to follow the official installation and configuration tutorials to ensure the best possible security settings. This is especially relevant if you’re setting up Nextcloud behind a reverse proxy. |
Outdated Software |
Update Nextcloud to the latest version when you can in order to reduce vulnerabilities and improve functionality. |
Weak Passwords |
Use only strong passwords and invite users to utilize two-factor authentication. |
Third-Party Apps |
Carefully choose third-party apps before installing them and make sure that they follow security and privacy standards. |
Server-Level Vulnerabilities |
Configure firewalls, monitor server logs and use tools like Fail2ban to prevent unauthorized access. |
Performance and Limitations
Having covered security, it’s now time to put Nextcloud’s performance to the test.
Performance and Speed
First of all we tested the file transfer speed. File transfer speeds are, of course, heavily influenced by network conditions such as network upload/download speeds and location. To achieve the best speeds, the Nextcloud installation should be on a server which is well connected and geographically close to its users. We tested uploading and downloading files of varying sizes (from small documents to large video files) and noticed that the speed was in line with the network capabilities, meaning that as long as your Nextcloud installation is running on a well-connected server, you shouldn’t experience any issues.
Server-side encryption
Next up, to specifically assess the impact of server-side encryption, we conducted a upload test with a 500MB file, both with encryption enabled and disabled. With server-side encryption, the 500MB file was uploaded in approximately 3 minutes and 58 seconds. With encryption off, the upload time was very similar - 4 minutes and 3 seconds. Download speeds showed similarly negligible differences. These results demonstrate that, at least in our test environment, Nextcloud's server-side encryption does not introduce a noticeable performance slowdown for file transfers. While network volatility can introduce minor variations, the encryption overhead appears to be minimal in typical use cases.
User Interface Responsiveness
We also tested the responsiveness of the Nextcloud web interface under low load (with another user browsing files and performing basic actions). The interface remained generally responsive, with rare delays that can be contributed to network conditions. For typical everyday use, the UI feels fluent.
Real-Time Collaboration Performance
While we couldn't simulate a truly large scale environment with real-time collaboration operations, we tested basic document editing with two users that simultaneously edited a text document. Updates were reflected in near real-time, influenced mainly by the network conditions, suggesting that for smaller teams, Nextcloud Office provides a functional collaborative experience. However, we anticipate performance may degrade with a significantly larger number of concurrent editors, as also acknowledged by the Nextcloud documentation itself.
Scalability
Our investigation, supported by Nextcloud's own recommendations, highlights several key areas for vertical optimization. Employing NVMe’s for all storage tiers dramatically reduces I/O latency, positively influencing database operations and file access. Adequate RAM and CPU resources are also key, with general recommendations of 1GB of RAM and 1vCPU per active user.
For organizations anticipating truly massive growth, or those with existing large-scale user bases, horizontal scaling through Nextcloud Global Scale offers a different architectural approach. Global Scale shifts from a single-server model to a distributed architecture, employing multiple Nextcloud servers that work together. This design enables Nextcloud to handle thousands of users and terabytes of data. Keep in mind that this is a commercial service provided by Nextcloud itself and it goes beyond our area of testing as we are mainly interested in the free aspects of the software.
System Requirements and Resource Consumption
Nextcloud's minimum server requirements are relatively modest, making it accessible to users with basic server infrastructure. The manual lists Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, RHEL 9, Debian 12 and SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 as recommended operating systems, with the latest Ubuntu 24.04 LTS being available as an option as well.
The All-In-One Docker images comes along with Apache and PostreSQL database out of the box. The documentation points out that a minimum of 128MB RAM per PHP process is required, with 512MB RAM per process recommended for better performance.
For small deployments, these requirements are easily achievable on a modest VPS or even a Raspberry Pi for personal use. In our tests the absolute minimum requirements of a VPS ended up being 1vCPU and 1GB RAM to ensure normal workflow for single, personal usage. Keep in mind that installing different add-on apps would require more RAM.
Performance Tuning
Our tests confirm that the Nextcloud Docker image comes with Redis caching enabled by default, which is a straightforward and highly effective way to enhance Nextcloud's responsiveness. It seems that Nextcloud AIO comes with all common performance options enabled by default so that you don’t have to perform any manual performance tuning.
Limitations
From our tests, we noticed that as user numbers and data volume increase, performance degradation becomes a realistic concern. The only realistic way to try to mitigate them is through vertical scaling by aiming to get at least 1vCPU and 1GB RAM per active user.
Another issue is integrating Nextcloud with older, legacy IT infrastructure. The manual notes potential issues with older PHP versions. This should be only be a problem if installing with Docker is not possible and a manual installation of each component is required.
One downside of the software that we noticed is Nextcloud’s Office solution. While it provides valuable collaborative document editing capabilities, our testing did reveal some limitations in real-world performance compared to established office suites like Google Docs.
Even on well-resourced servers, we observed occasional slowness, minor bugs such as editing inconsistencies within cells and scrolling issues, particularly in larger documents and during simultaneous editing with multiple users.
These performance issues were also noticeable on mobile devices, even more so - in some cases we were not even able to edit the document as whole as it was just scrolling uncontrollably.
While such limitations are perhaps expected with open-source office tools compared to established commercial solutions, users that require highly responsive and feature-rich real-time collaboration, especially with large teams or complex documents, may find Nextcloud Office unsatisfying. However, for basic collaborative editing and document viewing, Nextcloud Office is a functional and privacy-respecting solution.
User Experience and User Interface in Nextcloud
The next thing that we wanted to test was Nextcloud’s user interface and its user experience. When looking at the interface for the first time, we can notice that it’s quite clean, modern and professional with a very minimalistic feel.
It is also responsive and easily adaptable for both desktop and mobile, meaning that you get the same experience regardless of your device.
In terms of layout, everything is sorted and organized into sections and menus where you’d expect to find every option that you are looking for. Users are greeted with a very clean-looking dashboard that focuses on usability above everything else. The file management system is located in the center of the screen, allowing users to quickly navigate and utilize their files. The navigation panel on the left plays a crucial part in navigation, making it very easy to change between screens when needed. There is also a navigation bar on top that houses options like search, notifications and settings, which are all options that you’d expect to find. The icons are clear and labeled, buttons are easy to spot and the whole layout seems to be very intuitive.
File management also seems to be very easy with the UI being designed in such a way that it minimizes unnecessary clicks, giving you a nice and pleasant experience that also allows you to get work done quickly and efficiently. You can easily drag and drop files for a much faster workflow. Right-clicking on different files opens up editing menus with a plethora of options that provide a quick way to make changes.
There is also a quick preview option, allowing you to quickly scan the contents of your files. You can also quickly download, edit or share files with a single button.
In terms of accessibility, the platform supports 90 languages and it also employs features like keyboard shortcuts, high-contrast design and support for screen readers, ensuring that it adheres to the WCAG guidelines, complying with global standards.
If you are an administrator, you are also in luck, because the platform comes with a simple but powerful admin user interface that you can use to customize the entire software. There is easy access to access management tools, app installation and removal, file sharing and user monitoring.
Overall, it is quite evident that Nextcloud prioritizes functionality over everything else, ensuring that each option is easy to find and utilize. With its slick and minimalistic feel, it definitely delivers a professional and user-friendly experience that is suitable for both newcomers and experienced individuals. This in conjunction with its dedication to accessibility shows that the platform is designed in order to help you manage your files regardless of whether you are using it for personal projects or you are a big business.
Customization, API and Compatibility
Having now covered performance and Nextcloud’s limitations, we wanted to test out the software’s customizability and compatibility.
Starting off by changing the overall appearance, we noticed that changing the Nextcloud theme is remarkably easy. Through the theming settings, administrators can quickly customize the visual appearance of Nextcloud by uploading a logo, adjusting primary and background colors and modifying the login and background images. We successfully applied a custom theme, replacing the default Nextcloud branding with our own logo and color scheme.
As an additional customization feature, each user is able to set their own background images and colors, along with the default themes such as light, dark, high contrast, dark with high contast, etc. There is even a theme aiming to mitigate some of the common reading errors caused by dyslexia.
The Nextcloud homepage is also highly customizable. Administrators can set a default dashboard layout and widget. We tested adding, removing and rearranging widgets on the dashboard, with the only problem being that this requires you to use the command-line interface as stated by the documentation:
The layout of the dashboard for a specific user can be set with the following command:
occ user:setting admin dashboard layout "calendar,files,activity"
The default layout of the dashboard for all users can be set with the following command:
occ config:app:set dashboard layout --value="files,activity,calendar"
Installing Apps
Nextcloud's app store provides a vast library of apps that extend its functionality. Installing and removing apps is a simple process that can be done through the web interface. We tested installing several popular apps, such as 'Suspicious Login' which detects and warns about suspicious IPs logging into Nextcloud and 'Retention' which enables automatic deletion of files after a given time with optional notification of the users (with access to the file) one day before deletion. Both apps were installed with single click and work as expected.
Automation
The Flow app provides a user-friendly, visual interface for creating rule-based workflows and is the closest thing to automation in Nextcloud. It is shipped by default with Nextcloud. Administrators can define rules that trigger automated actions based on specific conditions. These conditions can range from file access events like "File is accessed", "File is tagged" to user group membership and time-based triggers.
Automated actions triggered by Flow rules include tagging files, converting file formats, sending notifications and more. Setting up basic Flow rules is straightforward through the web interface, making automation accessible even to non-technical administrators. However, Flow's capabilities are somewhat limited to predefined conditions and actions.
We created and tested a basic flow that is triggered only when a file over 50MB is uploaded onto the server. In this case, we create a note to ourselves, which is basically a memo, which will include event information and our account would get tagged. The end result is a custom notification rule (as we get notified when we're tagged), which might be helpful in specific scenarios - for example if we are working with limited disk space and we're cautious of users uploading files with bigger sizes.
Nextcloud API
Nextcloud boasts a well-documented and functional API, enabling developers to build custom apps and integrations. The API covers various functionalities from user provisioning and management to file access and sharing.
We tested a basic REST API call using curl:
curl -u admin:adminpassword -X POST https://nextcloud.vps.bg/ocs/v1.php/cloud/users -d userid="George S." -d displayname="George Smith" -d password="reallysecurepassword" -H "OCS-APIRequest: true"
This created a new user account "George Smith", also set its password. This API call can be included in for example on-boarding operations, where it is part of the workflow of introducing a new member to your organization. There are many other helpful endpoints available in the documentation.
WebDAV Support
Nextcloud also natively supports WebDAV, a standard protocol for file access over the web. We confirmed that WebDAV access is functional and relatively easy to set up, allowing users to connect to Nextcloud storage directly from their desktop operating systems (Windows, macOS, Linux) using built-in file explorers or dedicated WebDAV clients. This provides seamless file access and synchronization capabilities beyond the web interface.
We tested the WebDAV access with Ubuntu Desktop's built-in file manager - Nautilus - and after entering our admin username and password, we had access to the files stored on the Nextcloud server directly within our file manager!
The WebDAV endpoint is:
davs://nextcloud.vps.bg/remote.php/dav/files/
Login prompt:
After successful login:
Third-party applications
Nextcloud also has OAuth2 support which grants third-party applications secure authorization to access resources without requiring users to share their login details. For organizations, a dedicated SAML & Single Sign-On (SSO) App allows for integration with existing SSO systems on your Nextcloud server.
Additionally, leveraging the Nextcloud LDAP user provider maintains user convenience, especially for actions like sharing. More information about these operations can be found in the documentation.
Webhooks
Nextcloud's webhook functionality, enabled by the "Webhook Listeners" app, provides administrators with means to trigger actions in external systems or within Nextcloud itself based on real-time events. The "Webhook Listeners" app acts as a bridge, listening for a wide range of events within Nextcloud - from file modifications and sharing activity to form submissions and table data changes - to then sending real-time notifications to configured external URLs.
To test and demonstrate webhooks, we set up a simple test scenario: automatically tagging files uploaded to a specific folder. We configured a webhook listener to trigger on the `OCP\Files\Events\Node\NodeCreatedEvent` (file creation event) and filter for files uploaded to a designated "Incoming Files" folder.
We then used a basic webhook receiver script (outside of Nextcloud) to listen for these events. Upon uploading a file to the "Incoming Files" folder in Nextcloud, we observed the webhook being triggered, with the receiver script successfully capturing event details like the file path and the user ID. A downside was the need to enable the "Webhook Listeners" app using the command-line interface with `occ`, similarly to the homepage customization process, which can be difficult for some users.
External File Syncing
While Nextcloud is good at file syncing between clients and its own server, direct synchronization with third-party cloud storage services like Google Drive or Dropbox is not a core feature.
Nextcloud's External Storage app allows mounting external storage services and providing access to files within the Nextcloud interface, but it does not offer a true two-way method for synchronization or merging of data between Nextcloud and those external services. Users seeking to migrate data from services like Dropbox or Google Drive to Nextcloud may find the External Storage app helpful for accessing and transferring data, but it's not a continuous, automated synchronization solution.
Compatibility and Integrations
Nextcloud's Federated Sharing feature enables secure and straightforward collaboration between users on different Nextcloud servers.
By enabling the Federation app and configuring trusted Nextcloud servers, users can easily share files and folders with external collaborators on other Nextcloud instances, creating a "cloud of Nextclouds".
Sharing is initiated from the originating server by simply entering the remote user's Nextcloud username and server URL. The recipient then confirms the federated share link on their end, establishing a direct connection for seamless file exchange. Federated shares can also be created via public links, allowing users to email share links to external recipients who can then add the them to their own Nextcloud instance.
Additionally, Nextcloud Office, based on Collabora Online, integrates with Microsoft Office file formats (DOC, DOCX, PPT, PPTX, XLS, XLSX) as well as Open Document Format (ODF). This compatibility allows users to seamlessly edit and collaborate on documents in familiar formats directly within Nextcloud, bridging the gap between open-source and proprietary office suites.
Community and Support
Next up on our list of tests, we wanted to evaluate Nextcloud’s community and support.
A key strength of every huge open-source project such as Nextcloud is its active community, offering extensive resources and support channels for all users. Our research indicates a thriving community forum, where users actively engage in discussions, ask questions and share solutions. On any given day, the forums see a flurry of activity, with numerous new topics and replies posted within just a few hours, demonstrating a responsive and helpful user base.
Beyond the forums, Nextcloud maintains a strong presence on platforms like GitHub, where the ‘nextcloud/server’ repository alone has over 28,000 stars and thousands of forks, indicating a significant level of community interest and contribution. This active GitHub repository serves as a central hub for code, issue tracking and pull requests, showcasing the open and collaborative nature of Nextcloud development.
For users requiring more structured support, Nextcloud offers comprehensive commercial options through Nextcloud Enterprise subscriptions. Enterprise users benefit from a guaranteed Service Level Agreement (SLA), access to a dedicated knowledge base and documentation, early notifications about security issues and certified compliance features. This commercial branch of Nextcloud provides a clear path for organizations requiring enterprise-grade support and long-term stability.
Beyond official support, Nextcloud's community-driven nature extends to translations, app development and community-maintained resources. The vast app store, with hundreds of community-contributed apps and community translations into numerous languages, further demonstrate the strength of the Nextcloud ecosystem.
How to install Nextcloud and how to resolve common issues
The official Nextcloud installation method is via the Nextcloud AIO Docker image and the installation steps are in the GitHub repository, meaning that you only need a Docker-enabled server. Then, all you need to do is to simply run this command:
sudo docker run \
--init \
--sig-proxy=false \
--name nextcloud-aio-mastercontainer \
--restart always \
--publish 80:80 \
--publish 8080:8080 \
--publish 8443:8443 \
--volume nextcloud_aio_mastercontainer:/mnt/docker-aio-config \
--volume /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock:ro \
nextcloud/all-in-one:latest
Common Installation Issues and How to Resolve Them
The following is a list of the most common issues that you could encounter during the installation process as well as some possible solutions that you can utilize to resolve them:
Problem |
Cause |
Solution |
Permissions |
Incorrect file or directory permissions. |
Ensure the Nextcloud directory is owned by the web server user |
Database Connection |
Misconfigured database settings or missing dependencies. |
Check database credentials and that PHP extensions like pdo_mysql are installed. |
Web Server Configuration |
Missing or incorrect configuration files. |
Verify Apache or Nginx settings and ensure .htaccess is enabled. |
SSL/HTTPS |
Misconfigured SSL certificates. |
Use Let's Encrypt to generate and renew SSL certificates. |
Slow Performance |
Limited resources on the hosting server or improper caching. |
Enable caching with Redis or APCu and optimize database settings. |
Large File Upload Issues |
Server limits on file sizes. |
Update php.ini with larger upload_max_filesize and post_max_size values. |
Cron Job Failures |
Missing or improperly configured cron jobs. |
Set up cron jobs to run every 5 minutes for Nextcloud background tasks. |
Module or Dependency Errors |
Missing PHP modules or unsupported PHP versions. |
Install required PHP extensions and ensure compatibility with your server's PHP version. |
But if you don’t want to waste your time and you want to skip this tedious installation process, there are providers like us at VPSBG that offer application templates that you can easily install on your server with a single click. With our Nextcloud VPS, you get a powerful and privacy-oriented cloud server with your very own self-hosted version of Nextcloud so that you can immediately start working on your projects instead of wasting precious time setting everything up!
Competitors and Comparison
As we mentioned in the beginning, there are a number of options in terms of cloud storage and collaboration tools. Here are Nextcloud’s main competitors and how the software stacks towards them:
Feature |
Nextcloud |
ownCloud |
Google Drive |
Microsoft OneDrive |
Dropbox |
Pydio |
Seafile |
Pricing |
Free (Self-hosted), Paid for Enterprise |
Free (Self-hosted), Paid for Enterprise |
Free (15GB), Paid (Google Workspace) |
Free (5GB), Paid (Office 365) |
Free (2GB), Paid (Business) |
Free (Self-hosted), Paid for Enterprise |
Free (Self-hosted), Paid for Enterprise |
Self-Hosting Support |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
File Sharing |
Advanced (Public links, password protection, expiration dates) |
Advanced (Public links, password protection) |
Basic (via Google ecosystem) |
Basic (via Microsoft ecosystem) |
Advanced (via Dropbox ecosystem) |
Advanced (Enterprise-focused) |
Advanced (File versioning, collaboration) |
File Synchronization |
Yes (with desktop and mobile clients) |
Yes (with desktop and mobile clients) |
Yes (via Google Backup and Sync) |
Yes (via OneDrive desktop app) |
Yes (via Dropbox desktop app) |
Yes (with desktop and mobile clients) |
Yes (high-performance syncing) |
Collaboration Features |
Extensive (Nextcloud Office, Talk, Deck, Files) |
Moderate (OnlyOffice integration, file sharing) |
Moderate (Google Workspace, Docs, Sheets) |
Extensive (Microsoft Office, Teams integration) |
Moderate (Dropbox Paper, collaborative features) |
Strong (file sharing, collaboration apps) |
Moderate (integration with external apps) |
Security & Privacy |
High (End-to-end encryption, 2FA, federated cloud, file versioning) |
High (End-to-end encryption, 2FA) |
Moderate (Google's data handling, 2FA) |
Moderate (Microsoft’s data handling, 2FA) |
High (2FA, file encryption) |
Very High (Enterprise-level security) |
High (file encryption, access control) |
API Availability |
Yes (Extensive REST API, WebDAV, integrations) |
Yes (REST API, WebDAV) |
Limited (via Google Drive API) |
Limited (via OneDrive API) |
Yes (via Dropbox API) |
Yes (REST API) |
Yes (REST API, WebDAV) |
Mobile Support |
Yes (iOS, Android, responsive web) |
Yes (iOS, Android) |
Yes (iOS, Android) |
Yes (iOS, Android) |
Yes (iOS, Android) |
Yes (iOS, Android) |
Yes (iOS, Android) |
File Versioning |
Yes (integrated versioning) |
Yes (integrated versioning) |
Yes (limited version history) |
Yes (limited version history) |
Yes (integrated versioning) |
Yes (integrated versioning) |
Yes (advanced versioning) |
Integration with External Services |
Extensive (Third-party apps, storage integrations, enterprise tools) |
Moderate (Some integrations, but fewer than Nextcloud) |
High (Google Workspace) |
High (Microsoft 365) |
Moderate (via Dropbox integrations) |
Moderate (limited integrations) |
High (external cloud services) |
Ease of Use |
High (user-friendly interface) |
Moderate (UI more business-focused) |
Very High (familiar Google interface) |
Very High (familiar Microsoft interface) |
High (simple interface, intuitive) |
Moderate (focus on enterprise) |
Moderate (geared toward business users) |
Customization Options |
Very High (UI, branding, apps, permissions) |
Moderate (limited customization options) |
Low (mainly through Google Workspace) |
Low (mainly through Microsoft 365) |
Moderate (through app integrations) |
High (customization of UI and workflows) |
High (customizable to fit business needs) |
Support and Community |
Large community, self-support, paid support options |
Large community, self-support, paid support options |
Limited (Google support) |
Limited (Microsoft support) |
Moderate (Dropbox community support) |
Large community, paid support options |
Moderate (enterprise support) |
Key Takeaways from the Comparison
Objectively speaking, Nextcloud, ownCloud, Seafile and Pydio offer a secure self-hosting option for those that want to have full control over their data and setup, separating these platforms from Drive, OneDrive and Dropbox.
In terms of collaboration, Nextcloud outshines the others with its extensive range of tools like Talk, Deck and Office while also offering a self-hosted alternative to Google and Microsoft.
If you are looking for privacy and control over your data, Nextcloud and Pydio offer enterprise-level security additions like encryption, 2FA and file versioning.
When it comes to customization and flexibility, Nextcloud and ownCloud can be looked at as the leaders, with their vast amount of UI alterations, external app integration and granular control settings.
Finally, in terms of support, Nextcloud, ownCloud, Seafile and Pydio come with paid support in their enterprise tiers, which is good for businesses, but not that much for individuals. Drive and Dropbox, on the other hand, do offer customer support, which is much more beneficial for those with personal projects or smaller businesses.
Overall, Nextcloud stands out as one of the most powerful and versatile solutions when it comes to cloud storage and collaboration. With its many features and advantages it allows you to take full control over every single aspect of the platform and to tailor it to your desire. While Drive and Dropbox are a good option for those that are looking for a quick, slick and easy solution, those that prioritize privacy protection, security and customizations should definitely look towards Nextcloud and its alternatives.
Use Cases for Nextcloud
Having already covered everything about the platform, here are some use cases that Nextcloud could be beneficial.
Personal Cloud Storage and Backup
Due to its features and the ideas behind the software, it is not a surprise that the first and most common use for Nextcloud is personal storage. You can easily get a self-hosted Nextcloud server and keep all of your important files safe and in sync without having to be at the jeopardy of third-parties and at a constant danger of information leaks. Not only that but you can also use the software as a storage to create backups of your system, important files and even websites or projects.
Small Business File Sharing and Collaboration
It’s no secret the smaller businesses often struggle when it comes to finding affordable but also secure solutions that can enable collaboration between employees and workstations. This is why Nextcloud is the perfect option combining security, customization and project management into one single platform that everyone can use and collaborate on without having to worry about additional costs. Everyone can share and access files as well as work on the same projects in order to organize tasks.
Enterprise Document Management System
Another highly applicable situation in which Nextcloud could be quite beneficial is for example for financial institutions, healthcare organizations or those that have access to sensitive data that should be stored securely and that shouldn’t be accessible by everyone, requiring strict permission settings.
Academic Institutions and Research Collaboration
Nextcloud is also a very optimal choice for academic institutions where data privacy and file sharing go alongside collaboration. You can use Nextcloud talk for video conferences and Deck to track tasks.
Creative Industries
Finally, we have creative industries like photography, design and video production which usually work with files in large sizes and numbers due to the quality that needs to be preserved. You can use Nextcloud to store raw footage and collaborate on editing different photos and videos. You can also use the tools at your disposal to track tasks, automate checks and verify files.
In conclusion, Nextcloud’s nature and range of functionalities is a clear indicator of its goals and versatility as a self-hosted cloud solution. Whether you are going to be using the platform for personal projects or for your business, the software definitely has a range of tools to help you get things done. Ultimately, having the ability to be in charge of your data and to customize your experience without compromising on quality is why all users seeking privacy and security for their data should at least consider utilizing Nextcloud.