head to head · open source
Nextcloud vs Seafile
Nextcloud has 37,396 GitHub stars, 5,334 forks, 3,657 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Seafile has 15,414 stars, 1,674 forks, 94 open issues and last shipped 18 days ago. Nextcloud leads on adoption by 143% (37,396 vs 15,414 stars). Nextcloud is written in PHP under AGPL-3.0; Seafile is written in C under a custom or non-standard licence. Nextcloud has attracted 14% as many forks as stars, Seafile 11%. Nextcloud was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 1 topic tag (file-sharing), so they are genuine substitutes rather than adjacent tools.
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 | Seafile | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 37K | ★ 15K |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Custom / other |
| Written in | PHP | C |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-10-16 |
| Forks | ⑂ 5.3K | ⑂ 1.7K |
| 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 Seafile if
- You want the Seafile feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Custom / other license terms
- Your stack matches C
- You evaluated both and Seafile 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 Seafile
Introduction Seafile is an open source cloud storage system with privacy protection and teamwork features. Collections of files are called libraries. Each library can be synced separately. A library can also be encrypted with a user chosen password. Seafile also allows users to create groups and easily sharing files into groups. Beyond sync and share, Seafile provides advanced metadata management features and handy collaboration features. Feature Summary Seafile has the following features: File syncing 1. Selective sync for any folder. 2. Correctly handles file conflicts based on history instead of timestamp. 3…
read the full Seafile overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is Nextcloud or Seafile more popular?
Nextcloud has 37,396 GitHub stars and Seafile has 15,414. Nextcloud has the larger community by that measure.
Are Nextcloud and Seafile free?
Both are open source. Nextcloud is licensed under AGPL-3.0, and Seafile has no licence declared in this registry. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between Nextcloud and Seafile?
Nextcloud is written in PHP and Seafile in C. 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 Seafile?
Choose Nextcloud if you want the larger community (37,396 stars) or its AGPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose Seafile if its feature set, stack or Custom / other licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.