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Open-source alternatives to Dropbox

Dropbox does 5 jobs: desktop folder sync across devices, share links and shared folders, file version history and recovery, browse and manage files in a web app, mobile camera upload and backup. Most projects replace one or two of them, so pick the job you actually need.

Quick answer

Facts checked 16 Oct 2026

Open-source alternatives to Dropbox that run locally, allow commercial use and need no paid API include Syncthing (desktop folder sync across devices and file version history and recovery; MPL-2.0), FileBrowser Quantum (share links and shared folders and browse and manage files in a web app; Apache-2.0; runs on CPU) and OpenCloud (desktop folder sync across devices, share links and shared folders and browse and manage files in a web app; Apache-2.0; runs on CPU). Nextcloud Server covers all 5 Dropbox jobs.

Your requirements

Where will it run?
Can I use it commercially?

Checks code and model licences. Includes projects with conditions, such as share-alike or revenue limits, marked amber. Unknowns are hidden.

Paid services needed?
What hardware do you have?
Operating system

10 projects

Ente Photos

ente/ente
★ 29k active today

End-to-end encrypted photo backup with apps for phone, desktop and web, face detection, semantic search and shared albums; hosted or self-hosted.

Replaces Mobile camera upload and backup Not: desktop folder sync across devices, share links and shared folders, file version history and recovery, browse and manage files in a web app
Runs locally
Confirmed: Yes
Commercial use
Partial: Conditions · AGPL-3.0-only
Paid services
Partial: Optional only
Hardware
Confirmed: CPU works
Setup
Confirmed: Medium
7 of 8 facts sourced · checked today GitHub ↗ View details

FileBrowser Quantum

gtsteffaniak/filebrowser
★ 8.8k active today

Web file manager for folders on your server with search, previews, users, SSO and expiring share links; no sync client or mobile app.

Replaces Share links and shared folders + Browse and manage files in a web app (partly) Not: desktop folder sync across devices, file version history and recovery, mobile camera upload and backup
Runs locally
Confirmed: Yes
Commercial use
Confirmed: Yes · Apache-2.0
Paid services
Confirmed: None required
Hardware
Confirmed: CPU works
Setup
Confirmed: Easy
8 of 8 facts sourced · checked today GitHub ↗ View details

FileRise

error311/FileRise
★ 1.0k active 1d ago

Self-hosted PHP web file manager with per-folder ACLs, password and expiry share links, upload-only request links, WebDAV and trash; Pro adds groups and more.

Replaces Share links and shared folders + Browse and manage files in a web app (partly) Not: desktop folder sync across devices, file version history and recovery, mobile camera upload and backup
Runs locally
Confirmed: Yes
Commercial use
Confirmed: Yes · MIT
Paid services
Partial: Optional only
Hardware
Unknown: Unknown
Setup
Confirmed: Easy
7 of 8 facts sourced · checked today GitHub ↗ View details

Immich

immich-app/immich
★ 116k active today

Self-hosted Google Photos-style app with background phone backup, face recognition, CLIP search, shared albums, timeline and map.

Replaces Mobile camera upload and backup Not: desktop folder sync across devices, share links and shared folders, file version history and recovery, browse and manage files in a web app
Runs locally
Confirmed: Yes
Commercial use
No: No · AGPL-3.0-only
Paid services
Confirmed: None required
Hardware
Confirmed: CPU works
Setup
Confirmed: Medium
8 of 8 facts sourced · checked today GitHub ↗ View details

Nextcloud Server

nextcloud/server
★ 37k active today

Self-hosted file sync and share server with desktop and mobile clients, share links, file versions and an app store for calendar, contacts and more.

Replaces Desktop folder sync across devices + Share links and shared folders + File version history and recovery + Browse and manage files in a web app + Mobile camera upload and backup
Runs locally
Confirmed: Yes
Commercial use
Partial: Conditions · AGPL-3.0-or-later
Paid services
Partial: Optional only
Hardware
Confirmed: CPU works
Setup
Confirmed: Medium
8 of 8 facts sourced · checked today GitHub ↗ View details

OpenCloud

opencloud-eu/opencloud
★ 6.2k active today

Apache-2.0 file sync and share server (community continuation of oCIS) that stores everything on the filesystem with no database; Docker install.

Replaces Desktop folder sync across devices + Share links and shared folders + Browse and manage files in a web app (partly) Not: file version history and recovery, mobile camera upload and backup
Runs locally
Confirmed: Yes
Commercial use
Confirmed: Yes · Apache-2.0
Paid services
Confirmed: None required
Hardware
Confirmed: CPU works
Setup
Confirmed: Medium
8 of 8 facts sourced · checked today GitHub ↗ View details

ownCloud Infinite Scale (oCIS)

owncloud/ocis
★ 2.2k active today

Go-based file sync and share server from ownCloud with spaces, web UI and desktop/mobile clients; official builds carry an EULA barring commercial use.

Replaces Desktop folder sync across devices + Share links and shared folders + Browse and manage files in a web app (partly) Not: file version history and recovery, mobile camera upload and backup
Runs locally
Confirmed: Yes
Commercial use
Partial: Conditions · Apache-2.0
Paid services
Confirmed: None required
Hardware
Confirmed: CPU works
Setup
Confirmed: Medium
8 of 8 facts sourced · checked today GitHub ↗ View details

Pydio Cells

pydio/cells
★ 2.3k active today

Go file sharing platform for teams with web UI, share links, Cells Sync desktop client and mobile apps; free Home edition, paid Connect/Enterprise.

Replaces Desktop folder sync across devices + Share links and shared folders + Browse and manage files in a web app (partly) Not: file version history and recovery, mobile camera upload and backup
Runs locally
Confirmed: Yes
Commercial use
Partial: Conditions · AGPL-3.0-only
Paid services
Partial: Optional only
Hardware
Confirmed: CPU works
Setup
Confirmed: Medium
8 of 8 facts sourced · checked today GitHub ↗ View details

Seafile

haiwen/seafile
★ 15k active 1d ago

Self-hosted file sync and share with selective sync, encrypted libraries, share and upload links and version history; Pro edition free up to 3 users.

Replaces Desktop folder sync across devices + Share links and shared folders + File version history and recovery + Browse and manage files in a web app Not: mobile camera upload and backup
Runs locally
Confirmed: Yes
Commercial use
Partial: Conditions · AGPL-3.0-only
Paid services
Partial: Optional only
Hardware
Confirmed: CPU works
Setup
Confirmed: Medium
8 of 8 facts sourced · checked today GitHub ↗ View details

Syncthing

syncthing/syncthing
★ 89k active 3d ago

Peer-to-peer continuous folder sync between your own devices, with no central server and optional file versioning. No share links or web file browser.

Replaces Desktop folder sync across devices + File version history and recovery (partly) Not: share links and shared folders, browse and manage files in a web app, mobile camera upload and backup
Runs locally
Confirmed: Yes
Commercial use
Confirmed: Yes · MPL-2.0
Paid services
Confirmed: None required
Hardware
Unknown: Unknown
Setup
Confirmed: Easy
7 of 8 facts sourced · checked today GitHub ↗ View details

Common questions about Dropbox alternatives

Is there a free, open-source alternative to Dropbox?

Yes. Nextcloud Server, Seafile, OpenCloud, Pydio Cells and ownCloud Infinite Scale (oCIS) are free to download and run on your own computer without paid API keys. Nextcloud Server covers every job we list for Dropbox; the others cover only part of it, so check which job you need.

Can I do desktop folder sync across devices locally without a Dropbox subscription?

Yes, with Nextcloud Server (AGPL-3.0-or-later), Seafile (AGPL-3.0-only) and OpenCloud (Apache-2.0). Check the hardware notes and licence conditions on each page before you start.

Can I do share links and shared folders locally without a Dropbox subscription?

Yes, with Nextcloud Server (AGPL-3.0-or-later), Seafile (AGPL-3.0-only) and FileBrowser Quantum (Apache-2.0). Check the hardware notes and licence conditions on each page before you start.

Which Dropbox alternatives can I use commercially?

Confirmed: FileBrowser Quantum, FileRise, OpenCloud and Syncthing. With conditions: Ente Photos, Nextcloud Server, ownCloud Infinite Scale (oCIS), Pydio Cells and Seafile. Not for commercial use: Immich, usually because the model weights are non-commercial. This is not legal advice; read each licence.

Does any open-source project replace all of Dropbox?

Nextcloud Server covers every job we list for Dropbox.

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