Ownphotos
Best for self-hosting
Why teams pick it
Users migrating from Google Photos seeking self-hosted alternatives
Open-source alternatives to Dropbox
Compare community-driven replacements for Dropbox in file sync & share platforms workflows. We curate active, self-hostable options with transparent licensing so you can evaluate the right fit quickly.
Dropbox
Dropbox syncs files across devices, offers shared folders and links, version history, and collaboration features.Read more
Key stats
- 18Alternatives
- 13Support self-hosting
Run on infrastructure you control
- 17Active development
Recent commits in the last 6 months
- 6Permissive licenses
MIT, Apache, and similar licenses
Counts reflect projects currently indexed as alternatives to Dropbox.
Start with these picks
These projects match the most common migration paths for teams replacing Dropbox.
Filestash
Privacy-first alternative
Why teams pick it
Users seeking a self-hosted alternative to commercial cloud storage interfaces
All open-source alternatives
OpenCloud
Scalable Go backend for secure file sync and sharing
Active developmentPermissive licenseIntegration-friendlyGo
Why teams choose it
- OpenID Connect authentication with external IdPs or embedded LibreGraph Connect
- Filesystem‑based storage eliminates database dependencies
- Single Go binary for straightforward deployment
Watch for
Lacks a relational database for complex queries
Migration highlight
Corporate file share with Keycloak SSO
Secure, centralized file access for employees using existing SSO
Ownphotos
Self-hosted photo management with AI-powered face and object recognition
Self-host friendlyPermissive licensePrivacy-firstJupyter Notebook
Why teams choose it
- AI-powered face detection with trainable classification for automatic person tagging
- Object and location-based search with reverse geocoding and map visualization
- Automatic event album generation with intelligent contextual naming
Watch for
Development has moved to LibrePhotos; this repository is archived
Migration highlight
Family Photo Archive Organization
Automatically identify family members across decades of photos and browse memories by person, location, or automatically generated events
Filestash
Universal web file manager for any storage backend
Self-host friendlyActive developmentPrivacy-firstJavaScript
Why teams choose it
- Unified interface for 20+ storage protocols including FTP, SFTP, S3, WebDAV, SMB, and major cloud providers
- Extensible plugin architecture with interfaces for storage, authentication, viewers, and middleware
- Built-in viewers supporting 100+ specialized file formats from DICOM to embroidery patterns
Watch for
AGPL-3.0 license requires derivative works to be open-sourced, limiting proprietary modifications
Migration highlight
Multi-Cloud Data Management
Unified interface for accessing files across AWS S3, Google Drive, and on-premises FTP servers without switching tools or contexts.
Rclone
Sync, copy, and mount files across any cloud storage
Active developmentPermissive licenseAI-powered workflowsGo
Why teams choose it
- Supports 200+ cloud storage providers
- Multiple sync modes: copy, sync, bisync, check
- Optional encryption, compression, and chunking
Watch for
CLI‑only interface may deter non‑technical users
Migration highlight
Cross‑cloud backup
Automate daily backups of local servers to Amazon S3, Backblaze B2, or Google Cloud with encryption and integrity verification.
Timelinize
Unify all your digital memories into a single interactive timeline
Self-host friendlyActive developmentPrivacy-firstGo
Why teams choose it
- Import directly from raw archives without decompression
- Entity‑aware timeline linking people, places, and organizations
- Multiple visualizations: timeline, 3D map, gallery, and entity view
Watch for
Early alpha stage; frequent breaking changes
Migration highlight
Consolidate vacation photos, messages, and GPS tracks
View the entire trip in a chronological timeline with map overlay, making reminiscence effortless.
Ceph
Scalable distributed storage system for modern infrastructure
Active developmentIntegration-friendlyAI-powered workflowsC++
Why teams choose it
- Unified storage: object, block, and file interfaces in one platform
- Self-healing architecture with automatic data rebalancing and recovery
- No single point of failure through distributed CRUSH placement algorithm
Watch for
Steep learning curve for operators new to distributed storage
Migration highlight
Kubernetes Persistent Storage
Dynamically provision RBD block volumes for stateful workloads with snapshot and clone capabilities
OxiCloud
Lightweight Rust-powered file storage alternative to NextCloud
Self-host friendlyActive developmentPermissive licenseRust
Why teams choose it
- Rust-powered performance with minimal memory footprint (512MB minimum)
- Clean Architecture design for easy extension and maintenance
- Responsive multilingual UI supporting English and Spanish
Watch for
Early-stage project with authentication and multi-user support still in progress
Migration highlight
Home Server File Storage
Replace resource-heavy NextCloud on Raspberry Pi or NAS with 512MB+ RAM, achieving faster response times and lower power consumption
PhotoPrism
AI-powered, privacy-first photo library you can self-host
Self-host friendlyActive developmentPrivacy-firstGo
Why teams choose it
- AI-driven automatic tagging and face recognition
- Powerful multi‑criteria search across labels, location, color, and quality
- Progressive Web App works on phone, tablet, and desktop
Watch for
Requires Docker or command‑line setup; not a simple installer for non‑technical users
Migration highlight
Family vacation archive
All photos automatically tagged by location and faces, searchable by beach, kids, or date, viewable on phones via PWA.
Spacedrive
Unified, secure file explorer across devices and clouds
Active developmentPrivacy-firstAI-powered workflowsRust
Why teams choose it
- Virtual Distributed Filesystem with real‑time synchronization
- Content‑addressable storage for unique file identification
- Cross‑platform native apps via Tauri and React Native
Watch for
Development paused; no new features planned currently
Migration highlight
Consolidate personal media library
All photos, videos, and documents from Google Drive, iCloud, and external HDD appear in a single searchable interface.
Nextcloud Server
Your self‑hosted hub for files, contacts, calendars, and collaboration.
Self-host friendlyActive developmentPrivacy-firstPHP
Why teams choose it
- File, calendar, contacts, and media storage with native sync
- Extensible app ecosystem with hundreds of integrations
- End‑to‑end encryption, two‑factor auth, and security bounty program
Watch for
Requires technical expertise for self‑hosting
Migration highlight
Remote team file collaboration
Team members edit, comment, and version files in real time while keeping data on company‑owned servers.
CubeFS
Cloud-native distributed file and object storage system
Self-host friendlyActive developmentPermissive licenseGo
Why teams choose it
- Multi-protocol access: POSIX, HDFS, S3, and REST API support
- Scalable metadata service with strong consistency guarantees
- Flexible storage policies: replication or erasure coding
Watch for
Master branch may be unstable; production use requires releases
Migration highlight
Data Lake Storage Infrastructure
Scalable, multi-protocol storage foundation supporting analytics workloads with HDFS and S3 compatibility
XPipe
Unified hub for remote shells, containers, and file management
Active developmentPermissive licenseFast to deployJava
Why teams choose it
- Unified connection hub for SSH, containers, VMs, and Kubernetes
- Integrated remote file manager with tabbed multitasking and local editor support
- Extensible scripting system that auto‑adds scripts to remote PATH
Watch for
Desktop‑only; cannot run headlessly on servers
Migration highlight
Deploy updates across a Kubernetes cluster
Run a scripted command on all pods, edit config files locally, and push changes without leaving the desktop.
ownCloud
Self‑hosted file sync, share, and collaboration platform
Self-host friendlyActive developmentPrivacy-firstPHP
Why teams choose it
- Store and access files, contacts, calendars on your own server
- Bidirectional sync across desktop, mobile, and web clients
- Fine‑grained sharing with permissions and public links
Watch for
Self‑hosting requires server administration expertise
Migration highlight
Secure internal document repository
Employees store and share confidential files with end‑to‑end encryption.
Seafile
Privacy-focused cloud storage with selective sync and encryption
Self-host friendlyActive developmentPrivacy-firstC
Why teams choose it
- Library-based organization with per-library encryption and selective sync
- Delta transfer and conflict resolution based on file history, not timestamps
- Virtual drive client for on-demand file access without full local sync
Watch for
Requires self-hosting infrastructure and technical setup expertise
Migration highlight
Encrypted Research Data Sharing
Academic teams sync sensitive datasets with client-side encryption, ensuring compliance while enabling selective access across departments.
Ente
End-to-end encrypted cloud for photos and authenticators
Self-host friendlyActive developmentPrivacy-firstDart
Why teams choose it
- End-to-end encryption audited by Cure53 and cryptography experts
- Cross-platform apps for iOS, Android, web, Linux, macOS, and Windows
- Photos with face detection, semantic search, and collaborative albums
Watch for
Photos service requires paid subscription beyond 10GB free tier
Migration highlight
Family Photo Archive
Securely store and share family memories across devices with collaborative albums while maintaining privacy through end-to-end encryption and 3x data replication.
Puter
Self-hostable internet operating system with cloud storage and apps
Self-host friendlyActive developmentPrivacy-firstJavaScript
Why teams choose it
- Browser-based desktop environment with file management and app ecosystem
- Self-hostable with Docker support or use hosted service at puter.com
- Privacy-first cloud storage alternative to mainstream platforms
Watch for
AGPL-3.0 license requires derivative works to be open-sourced
Migration highlight
Personal Cloud Storage Replacement
Replace Dropbox or Google Drive with a self-hosted, privacy-first cloud accessible from any device with complete data ownership.
Cloudreve
Self-hosted file management system with multi-cloud storage support
Self-host friendlyActive developmentPrivacy-firstGo
Why teams choose it
- Unified interface for 9+ storage providers including OneDrive, S3, Aliyun OSS, and local storage
- Direct client-to-storage transmission bypassing server for uploads and downloads
- Integrated Aria2/qBittorrent support for distributed background downloads
Watch for
GPL v3 license may restrict integration into proprietary commercial products
Migration highlight
Hybrid Cloud Archive
Store frequently accessed files locally while archiving cold data to S3-compatible storage, managing both through one interface with automatic tiering policies.
Immich
High-performance self-hosted photo and video management solution
Self-host friendlyActive developmentPrivacy-firstTypeScript
Why teams choose it
- AI-powered search using metadata, objects, faces, and CLIP embeddings
- Automatic mobile backup with duplicate prevention and selective album sync
- Facial recognition with clustering and partner sharing capabilities
Watch for
Requires self-hosting infrastructure and technical setup knowledge
Migration highlight
Family Photo Archive
Centralized photo library with automatic mobile backup, shared albums for family members, and memories feature to rediscover past moments
Choosing a file sync & share platforms alternative
Teams replacing Dropbox in file sync & share platforms workflows typically weigh self-hosting needs, integration coverage, and licensing obligations.
- 13 projects let you self-host and keep customer data on infrastructure you control.
- 17 options are actively maintained with recent commits.
Tip: shortlist one hosted and one self-hosted option so stakeholders can compare trade-offs before migrating away from Dropbox.