Nextcloud vs ownCloud
Nextcloud and ownCloud are both listed on Forkshelf as open source alternatives to Dropbox. This page sets their license and GitHub activity side by side. Every figure comes from the GitHub API, fetched on 8 Nov 2026 [S1].
Nextcloud vs ownCloud at a glance
| Nextcloud | ownCloud | |
|---|---|---|
| License | AGPL-3.0 [S1] | AGPL-3.0 [S1] |
| GitHub stars | 37,439 on 8 Nov 2026 [S1] | 8,843 on 8 Nov 2026 [S1] |
| Last push | 8 Nov 2026 [S1] | 5 Nov 2026 [S1] |
| Latest release | v33.0.10 on 15 Oct 2026 [S1] | v11.1.0 on 3 Nov 2026 [S1] |
| Archived | No [S1] | No [S1] |
| Project site | nextcloud.com | owncloud.com |
| Repository | nextcloud/server | owncloud/core |
What is Nextcloud?
Its makers describe the Nextcloud server as "a safe home for all your data." Its code is on GitHub at nextcloud/server [S1].
What is ownCloud?
Its repository describes ownCloud core as the ownCloud web server core, covering files and DAV. Its code is on GitHub at owncloud/core [S1].
What Dropbox does
Our catalog sums it up as: Dropbox is hosted file sync and sharing for a team drive. [S2]
How we list Nextcloud and ownCloud
Our Dropbox alternatives page describes Nextcloud as: Nextcloud keeps your files and calendars on a server of your choosing, under AGPL-3.0. [S2] We list Nextcloud only as an alternative to Dropbox [S3].
Our Dropbox alternatives page describes ownCloud as: The ownCloud core repository is the server side of ownCloud Classic for file storage and sharing, and ownCloud says it is trusted by over 200 million users. [S2] We list ownCloud only as an alternative to Dropbox [S3].
Nextcloud vs ownCloud license
The Nextcloud repository is under AGPL-3.0 [S1].
The ownCloud repository is under AGPL-3.0 [S1].
Activity
On 8 Nov 2026, Nextcloud had 37,439 GitHub stars. It is not archived, and its last push was on 8 Nov 2026 [S1].
On 8 Nov 2026, ownCloud had 8,843 GitHub stars. It is not archived, and its last push was on 5 Nov 2026 [S1].
Nextcloud's latest GitHub release is v33.0.10, from 15 Oct 2026 [S1].
ownCloud's latest GitHub release is v11.1.0, from 3 Nov 2026 [S1].
Which one fits
Nextcloud has more GitHub stars than ownCloud as of 8 Nov 2026 [S1]. Stars show interest, so check the issue tracker too.
Nextcloud had the more recent push, on 8 Nov 2026, against 5 Nov 2026 for ownCloud [S1].
Both use the AGPL-3.0 licence [S1], so the licence will not decide it.
Other Dropbox alternatives
See the full list on the Dropbox alternatives page [S2].
Related comparisons
FAQ
Is Nextcloud open source?
Its repository is under AGPL-3.0, as of 8 Nov 2026 [S1].
Is ownCloud open source?
Its repository is under AGPL-3.0, as of 8 Nov 2026 [S1].
Is the Nextcloud repository still active?
As of 8 Nov 2026, it is not archived and its last push was on 8 Nov 2026 [S1].
Is the ownCloud repository still active?
As of 8 Nov 2026, it is not archived and its last push was on 5 Nov 2026 [S1].
Self-host guides
Sources (all fetched 8 Nov 2026)
- [S1] https://api.github.com/repos/nextcloud/server, https://api.github.com/repos/owncloud/core
- [S2] Forkshelf listing, https://forkshelf.com/alternative-to/dropbox
- [S3] Forkshelf catalog, https://forkshelf.com/alternatives