7 self-hosted options
Open-source alternatives to Dropbox
The best open-source alternative to Dropbox is Syncthing (MPL-2.0, 89,757 GitHub stars, Docker image). Puter stands out for its TypeScript codebase, and Nextcloud stands out for the most commits in the last 12 months (8,041).
About Dropbox: A cloud file hosting service that syncs folders across devices.
Updated · data from GitHub, refreshed daily
Top picks
- Rank 1:
Syncthing
syncthing/syncthing
Syncthing is an open source peer-to-peer file synchronisation tool.
Active · last commit Oct 26, 2026
File Sync & StorageGoDockerStands out for the most GitHub stars.
- Rank 2:
Puter
HeyPuter/puter
Web-based operating system designed to be feature-rich, exceptionally fast, and highly extensible.
Active · last commit Oct 26, 2026
File Sync & StorageTypeScriptDockerStands out for its TypeScript codebase.
- Rank 3:
Nextcloud
nextcloud/server
Access and share your files, calendars, contacts, mail and more from any device, on your terms.
Active · last commit Oct 26, 2026
FeaturedFile Sync & StoragePHPStands out for the most commits in the last 12 months (8,041).
At a glance
Dropbox alternatives compared
Open-source apps come first, then source-available ones and apps whose license appsgit could not verify; within each group, projects with at least 12 commits in the last 12 months come before less active or archived ones, then by GitHub stars.
| App | Stands out for | License | GitHub stars | Commits (12 mo) | Last commit | Docker image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Syncthing | the most GitHub stars | MPL-2.0 | 89,757 | 244 | Oct 26, 2026 | Yes |
| Puter | its TypeScript codebase | AGPL-3.0 | 43,890 | 2,716 | Oct 26, 2026 | Yes |
| Nextcloud | the most commits in the last 12 months (8,041) | AGPL-3.0 | 37,298 | 8,041 | Oct 26, 2026 | No |
| Cloudreve | a published Docker image | GPL-3.0 | 28,879 | 111 | Oct 20, 2026 | Yes |
| Seafile | its C codebase | GPL-2.0 | 15,385 | 45 | Oct 16, 2026 | No |
| Filestash | – | AGPL-3.0 | 14,829 | 509 | Oct 26, 2026 | Yes |
| ownCloud | – | AGPL-3.0 | 8,839 | 353 | Oct 26, 2026 | Yes |
Full list
All 7 Dropbox alternatives
Open any app for live stats, license details and a deploy option.
- 1
Syncthing
Syncthing is an open source peer-to-peer file synchronisation tool.
File Sync & StorageDockerStands out for the most GitHub stars. Syncthing has 89,757 GitHub stars, uses the MPL-2.0 license, ships a Docker image and had 244 commits in the last year.
- 2
Puter
Web-based operating system designed to be feature-rich, exceptionally fast, and highly extensible.
File Sync & StorageDockerStands out for its TypeScript codebase. Puter has 43,890 GitHub stars, uses the AGPL-3.0 license, ships a Docker image and had 2,716 commits in the last year.
- 3
NextcloudFeatured
Access and share your files, calendars, contacts, mail and more from any device, on your terms.
File Sync & StorageStands out for the most commits in the last 12 months (8,041). Nextcloud has 37,298 GitHub stars, uses the AGPL-3.0 license and had 8,041 commits in the last year.
- 4
Cloudreve
File management and sharing system, supports multiple storage providers.
File Sync & StorageDockerStands out for a published Docker image. Cloudreve has 28,879 GitHub stars, uses the GPL-3.0 license, ships a Docker image and had 111 commits in the last year.
- 5
Seafile
File hosting and sharing solution primary for teams and organizations.
File Sync & StorageStands out for its C codebase. Seafile has 15,385 GitHub stars, uses the GPL-2.0 license and had 45 commits in the last year.
- 6
Filestash
Web file manager that lets you manage your data anywhere it is located: FTP, SFTP, WebDAV, Git, S3, Minio, Dropbox, or Google Drive.
File ManagersDockerFilestash has 14,829 GitHub stars, uses the AGPL-3.0 license, ships a Docker image and had 509 commits in the last year.
- 7
ownCloud
All-in-one solution for saving, synchronizing, viewing, editing and sharing files, calendars, address books and more.
File Sync & StorageDockerownCloud has 8,839 GitHub stars, uses the AGPL-3.0 license, ships a Docker image and had 353 commits in the last year.
Is there a free alternative to Dropbox?
Yes. All 7 apps on this page are open source and free to self-host, so you can replace Dropbox without per-user fees. You pay only for the server.
Can I self-host an alternative to Dropbox with Docker?
Yes. 5 of the 7 apps here publish a Docker image, including Syncthing, Puter and Cloudreve, so you can run them on a home server or VPS with Docker Compose.
Which Dropbox alternative is the most actively developed?
Nextcloud (AGPL-3.0), with 8,041 commits in the last 12 months. Activity is a good sign that bugs and security issues get fixed.
How is this list ranked?
Open-source apps come first, then source-available ones and apps whose license appsgit could not verify; within each group, projects with at least 12 commits in the last 12 months come before less active or archived ones, then by GitHub stars.