head to head · open source
Nextcloud vs OpenCloud
Nextcloud has 37,396 GitHub stars, 5,334 forks, 3,657 open issues and last shipped yesterday. OpenCloud has 6,270 stars, 263 forks, 449 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Nextcloud leads on adoption by 496% (37,396 vs 6,270 stars). Nextcloud is written in PHP under AGPL-3.0; OpenCloud is written in Go under Apache-2.0. Nextcloud has attracted 14% as many forks as stars, OpenCloud 4%. Nextcloud was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| Nextcloud | OpenCloud | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 37K | ★ 6.3K |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | PHP | Go |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-11-02 |
| Forks | ⑂ 5.3K | ⑂ 263 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick Nextcloud if
- You weight community size — 37K stars and counting
- You want the AGPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches PHP
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick OpenCloud if
- You want the OpenCloud feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Go
- You evaluated both and OpenCloud fits your workflow better
About Nextcloud
Nextcloud Server ☁ A safe home for all your data. Why is this so awesome? 🤩 📁 Access your Data You can store your files, contacts, calendars, and more on a server of your choosing. 🔄 Sync your Data You keep your files, contacts, calendars, and more synchronized amongst your devices. 🙌 Share your Data …by giving others access to the stuff you want them to see or to collaborate with. 🚀 Expandable with hundreds of Apps ...like Calendar, Contacts, Mail, Video Chat and all those you can discover in our App Store 🔒 Security with our encryption mechanisms, HackerOne bounty program and two factor authentication…
read the full Nextcloud overview →
About OpenCloud
Server Backend [!TIP] For general information about OpenCloud and how to install please visit OpenCloud on Github and OpenCloud GmbH. This is the main repository of the OpenCloud server. It contains the golang codebase for the backend services. Getting Involved The OpenCloud server is released under Apache 2.0. The project is thrilled to receive contributions in all forms. Start hacking now, there are many ways to get involved such as: Reporting issues or bugs Requesting features Writing documentation Writing code or extend our tests Reviewing code Helping others in the community Every contribution is meaningful…
read the full OpenCloud overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is Nextcloud or OpenCloud more popular?
Nextcloud has 37,396 GitHub stars and OpenCloud has 6,270. Nextcloud has the larger community by that measure.
Are Nextcloud and OpenCloud free?
Both are open source. Nextcloud is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and OpenCloud under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Nextcloud and OpenCloud?
Nextcloud is written in PHP and OpenCloud in Go. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, Nextcloud or OpenCloud?
Choose Nextcloud if you want the larger community (37,396 stars) or its AGPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose OpenCloud if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.