Self-Hosted Alternatives to OneDrive

Why Replace OneDrive?

Cost. OneDrive gives you 5 GB free — barely enough for a phone backup. Microsoft 365 Personal ($6.99/month) includes 1 TB, but you’re paying for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint whether you use them or not. A 4 TB NAS drive costs $80 and lasts years.

Privacy. Microsoft scans OneDrive files for “objectionable content” and has locked accounts for family photos flagged by automated systems. Your files are stored on Microsoft’s servers, subject to US data requests. Self-hosted storage keeps your files on your hardware.

Vendor lock-in. OneDrive is deeply integrated with Windows. Microsoft makes it increasingly difficult to use Windows without a Microsoft account and OneDrive integration. Moving away from OneDrive means regaining control of your file management.

Storage tiers. OneDrive’s free tier is 5 GB. The 100 GB plan is $1.99/month. For 1 TB, you need the full Microsoft 365 subscription at $6.99/month. Self-hosted storage scales with your hardware budget, not Microsoft’s pricing tiers.

Sync reliability. OneDrive’s sync client has a history of issues — conflict files, phantom syncs, “Files On-Demand” bugs, and the inability to sync files with certain characters in names. Self-hosted sync tools offer more predictable behavior.

Best Alternatives

Nextcloud — Best Full Replacement

Nextcloud replaces OneDrive and much of Microsoft 365. File sync, sharing, collaborative editing (via Nextcloud Office or OnlyOffice), calendar, contacts, and 400+ apps. It’s the most complete Microsoft ecosystem replacement available.

What you get: Desktop sync clients for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Mobile apps. Web file manager. Sharing links. Real-time document editing. Calendar and contacts (CalDAV/CardDAV). File versioning.

Best for: Users who want to leave the Microsoft ecosystem entirely. Nextcloud can replace OneDrive, Outlook calendar, and basic Office features.

[Read our full guide: How to Self-Host Nextcloud]

Seafile — Best for Performance

Seafile is a file sync and share server that prioritizes speed. Its block-level sync engine is 2-3x faster than Nextcloud, and it uses less RAM and CPU. Great for users whose primary need is fast, reliable file sync without the platform overhead.

What you get: Fast desktop sync clients. Web file manager. Sharing links. File versioning. Client-side encryption per library.

Best for: Users who want the best file sync performance and don’t need Nextcloud’s broader platform features.

[Read our full guide: How to Self-Host Seafile]

Syncthing — Best for Privacy

Syncthing syncs files directly between your devices with no central server. Peer-to-peer, encrypted, no account needed. Zero data touches any third-party infrastructure.

What you get: Automatic, encrypted sync between devices. Block-level delta sync. File versioning. Cross-platform. Zero maintenance.

Best for: Users who want maximum privacy — no server, no cloud, no third party. Files exist only on your devices.

[Read our full guide: How to Self-Host Syncthing]

Migration Guide

Step 1: Download Your OneDrive Files

Option A: OneDrive Desktop Client

1. Open OneDrive settings on your PC
2. Under “Sync and backup,” ensure “Files On-Demand” is off
3. Wait for all files to download to your local OneDrive folder
4. Files are typically at C:\Users\[username]\OneDrive

Option B: Web Download

1. Go to onedrive.live.com
2. Select all files → Download
3. Files download as a zip archive

Option C: Microsoft Data Export

1. Go to account.microsoft.com/privacy
2. Select “Download your data” → OneDrive
3. Wait for the export (can take hours for large libraries)

Step 2: Set Up Your Replacement

For most OneDrive users, Nextcloud is the best fit:

1. Follow our Nextcloud Docker guide
2. Install the Nextcloud desktop client on all devices
3. Configure SSL via reverse proxy

Step 3: Upload and Sync

1. Copy files from your OneDrive folder to the Nextcloud sync folder
2. Wait for initial sync to complete
3. Install mobile apps for phone access
4. Verify files are accessible everywhere

Step 4: Disable OneDrive Integration

1. Right-click the OneDrive icon in the system tray → Settings
2. Under Account, click “Unlink this PC”
3. Uninstall OneDrive if desired
4. Delete files from OneDrive cloud storage
5. Downgrade your Microsoft 365 subscription if OneDrive was the main reason

Cost Comparison

What You Give Up

• Microsoft Office integration. OneDrive’s deep integration with Word, Excel, and PowerPoint is unmatched. Nextcloud Office and OnlyOffice handle common document editing but lack advanced features and the seamless real-time co-authoring experience.
• Windows integration. OneDrive is built into Windows File Explorer. Self-hosted solutions use separate sync clients that work fine but aren’t as deeply integrated.
• Files On-Demand. OneDrive’s on-demand file feature works seamlessly in Windows Explorer. Nextcloud has “Virtual files” on Windows, but it’s less polished.
• SharePoint integration. If your workplace uses SharePoint, OneDrive’s integration is valuable. Self-hosted alternatives don’t connect to SharePoint.
• Personal Vault. OneDrive’s encrypted vault for sensitive files. Nextcloud offers per-folder encryption, and Seafile offers per-library client-side encryption.
• Zero maintenance. Microsoft handles everything. Self-hosted solutions need updates, backups, and monitoring.

FAQ

Can Nextcloud really replace Microsoft 365?

For file sync, sharing, and basic document editing — yes. For heavy use of Excel macros, PowerPoint animations, or Access databases — no. Evaluate whether you actually use those advanced features before deciding.

Will my Windows experience suffer without OneDrive?

Not significantly. You lose the File Explorer integration and Files On-Demand, but Nextcloud’s sync client works well on Windows. You can still right-click files to share them.

What about OneNote?

OneNote stores data in OneDrive. For a self-hosted replacement, consider BookStack for structured documentation, or Joplin Server for note-taking with markdown support and sync.

Can I keep OneDrive for some things?

Yes. Many people use Nextcloud for personal files and keep a minimal Microsoft 365 subscription for work documents. You can also use Rclone to sync between OneDrive and your self-hosted storage.

Related

• How to Self-Host Nextcloud
• How to Self-Host Seafile
• How to Self-Host Syncthing
• Nextcloud vs Seafile
• Nextcloud vs Syncthing
• Self-Hosted Alternatives to Google Drive
• Self-Hosted Alternatives to Dropbox
• Self-Hosted Alternatives to iCloud Drive
• Best Self-Hosted File Sync Solutions
• Docker Compose Basics