Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Syncthing VS Nextcloud Files

Compare Syncthing VS Nextcloud Files and see what are their differences

Syncthing logo Syncthing

Syncthing replaces proprietary sync and cloud services with something open, trustworthy and...

Nextcloud Files logo Nextcloud Files

Nextcloud gives you access to your data and communication wherever you are.
  • Syncthing Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-04-18
  • Nextcloud Files Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-29

Syncthing features and specs

  • Open Source
    Syncthing is open-source software, making it free to use and allowing for community contributions. This fosters transparency and continuous improvement.
  • Privacy
    The software uses peer-to-peer communication, meaning your files are not stored on a third-party server, enhancing privacy and security.
  • Cross Platform
    Syncthing is available on multiple platforms, including Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android, ensuring broad compatibility.
  • Real-time Sync
    The software offers real-time synchronization, which ensures that changes are immediately propagated across all devices, minimizing data inconsistencies.
  • Version Control
    Syncthing provides file versioning features, which can help recover older versions of files in case of accidental deletion or changes.

Possible disadvantages of Syncthing

  • Complex Setup
    Initial configuration and setup might be complex for users who are not technically inclined, requiring a certain level of understanding of network concepts.
  • Resource Usage
    Real-time syncing and continuous operation can consume significant system resources, affecting performance, especially on less powerful devices.
  • No Native Mobile Experience
    While Syncthing is available on Android, there is no official iOS app, which limits its usability for users on Apple's mobile platform.
  • Network Dependency
    Effective synchronization depends on the availability of a reliable network connection, which can be a limitation in areas with poor connectivity.
  • Self-Management
    Unlike cloud-based solutions, Syncthing requires users to handle their own backups, security, and maintenance, which can be time-consuming and complex.

Nextcloud Files features and specs

  • Open Source
    Nextcloud Files is open-source software, allowing users to inspect, modify, and enhance the source code, ensuring transparency and fostering a community-driven approach.
  • Self-Hosting
    Users can host Nextcloud on their own servers, providing greater control over data and privacy compared to cloud-hosted services.
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    Nextcloud Files offers clients for multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android, ensuring easy access to files across devices.
  • Rich Feature Set
    It provides a wide range of features beyond file sharing, including collaborative tools, version control, and integration with various third-party apps.
  • Security and Compliance
    Nextcloud emphasizes strong security features, such as end-to-end encryption, two-factor authentication, and compliance with standards like GDPR.

Possible disadvantages of Nextcloud Files

  • Complex Setup for Self-Hosting
    Setting up and maintaining a self-hosted Nextcloud instance can be technically challenging and may require substantial IT knowledge.
  • Performance Reliant on Server
    The performance of Nextcloud Files can vary greatly depending on the server's hardware and network configuration, potentially leading to slower file access compared to cloud services.
  • Resource Intensive
    Operating a Nextcloud server can be resource-intensive, requiring ample server resources, especially with a large number of users or extensive feature use.
  • Limited Third-Party Service Integration
    While Nextcloud offers some integrations, its compatibility with certain widespread third-party cloud services and enterprise apps is limited compared to larger cloud storage providers.
  • Community Support Dependency
    Though there is a strong community, users relying solely on community support might encounter slower issue resolution than with paid support services.

Syncthing videos

Why We Use Syncthing, The Open Source Private File Syncing Tool instead of NextCloud

More videos:

  • Review - Setup and Review of SyncThing, The Open Source File synchronization tool
  • Review - Syncthing for Syncing Both Computers & Phones

Nextcloud Files videos

No Nextcloud Files videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Add video

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Syncthing and Nextcloud Files)
Cloud Storage
99 99%
1% 1
File Sharing
98 98%
2% 2
File Sharing And Backup
100 100%
0% 0
Encrypted Cloud Storage
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using Syncthing and Nextcloud Files. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Syncthing and Nextcloud Files

Syncthing Reviews

15 Best Rclone Alternatives 2022
With this tool, you can synchronize files between multiple computers without hassles. Syncthing is not very different from rclone as it also supports command-line functionality. Also, itโ€™s a free and open source application with all source code available on GitHub.

Nextcloud Files Reviews

We have no reviews of Nextcloud Files yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Syncthing seems to be a lot more popular than Nextcloud Files. While we know about 851 links to Syncthing, we've tracked only 3 mentions of Nextcloud Files. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Syncthing mentions (851)

  • Syncthing File Sync for Self-Hosted Knowledge Systems
    Unlike cloud storage platforms, Syncthing uses a peer-to-peer model where each device holds its own copy of synced folders and exchanges changes directly with trusted peers. There is no central server that owns your data, no subscription account, and no vendor lock-in. The project is open-source and community-driven, with more details at syncthing.net. - Source: dev.to / 29 days ago
  • The Quiet Renovation at Bitwarden
    Been using this setup for many years and never had any problem at all. I sync between desktop and mobile with Syncthing[0]. And also you can configure Syncthing to do file versioning, and it has many options (Trash Can, Simple, Staggered or External file versioning) so if some weird conflict happens you'll never lose data. But honestly, I have never had any issues, and I have been running this setup for many... - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • Show HN: Stop paying for Dropbox/Google Drive, use your own S3 bucket instead
    Https://syncthing.net/ <- like this :) Free, opensource, works on computers and phones, can in most cases puncture nat, supports local discovery (lan, multicast). No googles, no dropboxes, no clouds, no AI training, no "my kid likes the wrong video on youtube, now our whole family lost access to every google account we had, so we lost everything, including family photos", just sync! (not affiliated, just really... - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • Seafile vs Syncthing: Server vs Peer-to-Peer
    Syncthing is a decentralized, peer-to-peer file sync tool. Devices connect directly to each other โ€” no central server. It does one thing: keep folders in sync across devices. It does this exceptionally well, with block-level delta sync and strong encryption. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • iCloud Photos Downloader
    This will let you download all of your photos that already exist on iCloud Photos. Going forward, youโ€™d want to set up some other way to sync photos you take from your phone to your other devices. I can personally recommend Synology Photos for simplicity[1], or Immich[2] for an open-source (and in my opinion, slightly better) alternative you can run on any hardware, if youโ€™d like to set up an always-on NAS. These... - Source: Hacker News / 7 months ago
View more

Nextcloud Files mentions (3)

  • creating a self hosted storage server
    That's it! Use your favourite client software (or the official Nextcloud client) and point it to your server. Source: about 4 years ago
  • Exclude directories from scan?
    It's a little unclear if you're referring to external storage local on the client or your NextCloud server. If it's on the client, you can exclude subfolders. Https://nextcloud.com/clients. Source: over 4 years ago
  • Photoview - self-hosted Media Gallery with RAW support that syncs with the filesystem
    For mobile sync, I'd recommend using an app like Nextcloud or Photosync to automatically sync media to a fileshare and then let Photoview pick them up. Source: almost 5 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Syncthing and Nextcloud Files, you can also consider the following products

Nextcloud - With Nextcloud enterprises host their own secure cloud solution for storage, collaboration & communication from any device, anywhere.

IPFS Share - Share files using IPFS directly from your device โ€” no cloud needed.

Dropbox - Online Sync and File Sharing

secure file sharing - share files from your terminal with end-to-end encryption.

FreeFileSync - FreeFileSync is a free open source data backup software that helps you synchronize files and folders on Windows, Linux and macOS.

SharedFiles.co - Storing files on a decentralized network: Security, privacy, and more!