Self-hosted alternatives to iCloud
Back up files, photos and contacts on your own server. Below are 12 open source options you host on your own server — with no monthly per-user fee and full control of your data.
Syncthing
★ 85,702Syncthing continuously syncs files between your devices, encrypted and peer-to-peer, with no central server. It's the alternative to Dropbox for people who don't want a third-party cloud: files go straight from one machine to another.
Puter
★ 42,384Web-based operating system designed to be feature-rich, exceptionally fast, and highly extensible.
Nextcloud
★ 35,889Nextcloud is a complete private-cloud suite: files, calendar, contacts, email, calls and document editing. It's the most robust self-hosted alternative to Google Drive and Microsoft 365, with a huge ecosystem of apps.
Cloudreve
★ 28,157File management and sharing system, supports multiple storage providers.
Seafile
★ 14,882File hosting and sharing solution primary for teams and organizations.
ownCloud
★ 8,794All-in-one solution for saving, synchronizing, viewing, editing and sharing files, calendars, address books and more.
OpenCloud
★ 5,616File Sharing and Collaboration Platform.
Unison
★ 5,375Unison is a file-synchronization tool for OSX, Unix, and Windows.
Radicale
★ 4,764Simple calendar and contact server with extremely low administrative overhead.
Kinto
★ 4,416Minimalist JSON storage service with synchronisation and sharing abilities.
Baïkal
★ 3,217Lightweight CalDAV and CardDAV server based on sabre/dav.
Peergos
★ 2,424Secure and private space online where you can store, share and view your photos, videos, music and documents. Also includes a calendar, news feed, task lists, chat and email client.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free self-hosted alternative to iCloud?
Yes. We've gathered 12 self-hosted, open source alternatives to iCloud — including Syncthing, Puter, Nextcloud. You run all of them on your own server.
What is the best open source alternative to iCloud?
Syncthing is one of the most popular (85,702 GitHub stars). The "best" depends on your case — compare the options below.
Do I need a server to replace iCloud?
Yes. You can use a home server (homelab) or a cheap VPS (from ~€4/mo). See the hosting suggestions on this page.