Dropbox does three jobs for most people: it keeps folders in sync across devices, lets you share files and folders by link, and gives teams a shared place for documents. Open-source tools cover each of these, and running them yourself means your files sit on a server you control instead of a vendor's cloud.
Every tool below is under an OSI-approved licence (AGPL-3.0, GPL-2.0, MPL-2.0, Apache-2.0), checked against its repository. Some are full Dropbox-style platforms, while Syncthing only syncs between your own devices, so the list says which is which.
Licences checked against each repository on November 7, 2026.
What you're replacing
•Folder sync across laptop, desktop and phone
•Sharing files and folders by link, with passwords
•Team folders with permissions and version history
Describes itself as a safe home for all your data: a self-hosted server for storing, syncing and sharing files, contacts and calendars. The repository's licence is AGPL-3.0.
Strengths
+ File sync and sharing in one self-hosted server
+ Also handles contacts and calendars
+ Active repository with a long commit history
Trade-offs
− More moving parts to run than a pure sync tool
− Mixed scope can feel heavy if you only need file sync
Open-source cloud storage whose README lists selective folder sync, resumable transfers, shared folders and password-protected links, version control, and client-side library encryption. Component licences differ: GPLv2 for the desktop client, AGPLv3 for the server core, Apache-2.0 for Seahub.
Strengths
+ Selective sync and drive client with on-demand files
Open-source continuous file synchronisation between two or more computers. It has no central server to run, which makes it a sync tool rather than a sharing platform.
Described as the new file sync and share platform from ownCloud, positioned as a self-contained server that works without an external database or identity provider.
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How to choose
If you need…
Start with
Replace Dropbox for a team, with calendars and contacts too
Nextcloud
Fast sync with end-to-end library encryption
Seafile
Just keep my own devices in sync, no server
Syncthing
Apache-2.0 licensed server platform
OpenCloud or ownCloud oCIS
Share files from folders already on a server
FileBrowser Quantum or Pydio Cells
Open-source Dropbox alternatives: FAQ
Quick answers to common questions
Is there an open-source version of Dropbox?
Dropbox itself is proprietary. Nextcloud and Seafile are the closest open-source equivalents for sync, sharing and team folders, and Syncthing covers pure device-to-device sync.
Which Dropbox alternative needs no server?
Syncthing. It synchronises files between your own computers continuously and has no central server to run, but it does not provide link sharing.
Is Seafile fully open source?
The repository README lists different licences by component: GPLv2 for the desktop sync client, AGPLv3 for the server core, GPLv3 for the Android app and Apache-2.0 for Seahub and the iOS app.
Are ownCloud Infinite Scale and OpenCloud the same project?
They are separate repositories, both licensed Apache-2.0. oCIS is ownCloud's platform and OpenCloud presents itself as its own open-source file platform, so evaluate each on its own.
Can I use these with my existing Office documents?
Some can. Seafile's README lists OnlyOffice and Collabora integrations. Check each project's documentation for the editor it supports before choosing.
Maintain an open-source Dropbox alternative?
List it on TechLogHub and we'll review it for this page.
