ownCloud
Share files and folders, easy and secure
About ownCloud
ownCloud is an open-source file sync and share platform that gives organizations full control over their data with on-premises or cloud deployment options. Trusted by over 200 million users worldwide, it provides enterprise-grade security features including end-to-end encryption, granular access controls, and GDPR compliance while enabling seamless real-time collaboration.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Full data sovereignty with on-premises hosting
- Open-source with free community edition and unlimited storage
- Enterprise-grade security with end-to-end encryption and GDPR compliance
- Flexible deployment: self-hosted, managed cloud, or hybrid
- Robust file sharing with granular permissions and federated sharing
- Native mobile apps for Android and iOS
Cons
- Initial setup requires significant technical expertise
- Performance can degrade with large databases and many files
- Fewer third-party integrations compared to Nextcloud
- Web interface can be slow on resource-constrained servers
- Enterprise pricing requires minimum 25 users
Key Features
File Sync & Share
Synchronize files across multiple devices with desktop and mobile clients for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS.
End-to-End Encryption
Protect sensitive data with encryption in transit and at rest, plus optional end-to-end encryption for maximum security.
Granular Access Controls
Set read-only, write-only, or read/write permissions per folder with fine-grained user and group-based access policies.
Collaborative Editing
Real-time document editing through integrations with Microsoft Office Online, ONLYOFFICE, and Collabora Online.
Federated Cloud Sharing
Share files securely across organizational boundaries and different ownCloud instances without losing control.
File Firewall
Define rules to automatically block or allow file uploads and downloads based on file type, size, or user group.
Public Link Sharing
Share files externally via password-protected links with configurable expiration dates and download limits.
Version Control
Track all file changes with full version history, allowing users to revert to previous versions at any time.
Two-Factor Authentication
Strengthen account security with 2FA support for all users, protecting against unauthorized access.
Ransomware Protection
Built-in detection and recovery mechanisms to protect organizational data from ransomware attacks.
Pricing
- Open-source self-hosted
- File sync and share
- Basic collaboration
- Community support
- Unlimited storage (own server)
- On-premises deployment
- 25+ users minimum
- Email support
- File sync and share
- Basic integrations
- On-premises or custom deployment
- 25+ users minimum
- Global email and phone support
- Enterprise security features
- File firewall and audit logging
- Fully managed SaaS
- No server setup required
- Automatic updates
- File sync and share
- Collaborative editing
Best For
Enterprise Data Sovereignty
Organizations in regulated industries that need to keep sensitive data on their own infrastructure while enabling secure file sharing.
Cross-Organization Collaboration
Companies sharing documents with external partners via federated sharing and password-protected links.
GDPR-Compliant File Management
European businesses ensuring full GDPR compliance with data residency requirements.
Education & Research Institutions
Universities and research organizations sharing large datasets across departments cost-effectively.
Replacing Consumer Cloud Storage
Organizations moving from Dropbox or Google Drive to gain full control over data and security policies.
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