Google Drive vs Nextcloud Files

Google Drive8.9Visit Nextcloud Files8.7Visit

Higher score Google Drive #4 in Cloud Storage Services 8.9/10 Free plan · 14-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 3 of 3 features Visit Google Drive

vs

Nextcloud Files #7 in Cloud Storage Services 8.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 3 features Visit Nextcloud

• Google Drive fits best

  Teams wanting a broad general-purpose drive

• Nextcloud Files fits best

  Open-source teams with self-hosting needs

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Side by side

Feature	Google Drive 8.9/10 Visit ↗	Nextcloud Files 8.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.9	8.7
Ranking	#4 in Cloud Storage Services	#7 in Cloud Storage Services
Best for	Teams wanting a broad general-purpose drive	Open-source teams with self-hosting needs
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free plan + paid
Starting price	$1.99/mo	€53.17/user/yr
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	14 days	—
Deployment	Cloud, Desktop, Mobile	Cloud, Self-hosted, Desktop, Mobile
Platforms	Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Support	Email, Phone, Live chat, Docs · 24/7	Email, Phone, Community, Docs
Compliance	SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, SSO/SAML, 2FA	GDPR, SSO/SAML, 2FA
Integrations	9 integrations	7 integrations
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Google Drive 3/3 · Nextcloud Files 3/3
File versioning	✓	✓
Zero-knowledge encryption	✓	✓
Business admin controls	✓	✓
Specs
Storage limit	15 GB	Not checked yet
File size limit	5 GB	Not checked yet
Device platforms	Windows, macOS, iOS, Android	windows, macos, linux, android, ios
Our review
Pros	Shared drives, permissions, version history, and file restoration Works across web, Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android Integrates with Google Workspace, Slack, Zoom, Salesforce, and more	Self-hosting with desktop, mobile and browser access Versioning, permissions, file locking and protected sharing Broad external storage and collaboration integrations
Cons	Personal storage is shared across Drive, Gmail, and Google Photos Client-side encryption is limited to eligible Workspace accounts Enterprise pricing requires contacting sales	Requires a self-hosted or hosted-provider deployment Default web upload limit is 512 MB Storage capacity depends on the configured backend
Our verdict	Google Drive is a cloud storage service for individuals, teams, and organizations that need to upload, organize, search, share, and collaborate on files. It supports Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides, with access through the web, mobile… Read the review →	Nextcloud Files is an open-source file synchronization and sharing platform for individuals, teams and enterprises. Organizations can deploy it on-premises, in private clouds or through hosted providers, while retaining control of storage… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Google Drive — where it wins

  • Shared drives, permissions, version history, and file restoration
  • Works across web, Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android
  • Integrates with Google Workspace, Slack, Zoom, Salesforce, and more

  Where it doesn't

  • Personal storage is shared across Drive, Gmail, and Google Photos
  • Client-side encryption is limited to eligible Workspace accounts
  • Enterprise pricing requires contacting sales

• Nextcloud Files — where it wins

  • Self-hosting with desktop, mobile and browser access
  • Versioning, permissions, file locking and protected sharing
  • Broad external storage and collaboration integrations

  Where it doesn't

  • Requires a self-hosted or hosted-provider deployment
  • Default web upload limit is 512 MB
  • Storage capacity depends on the configured backend

• Google Drive8.9/10 · Free plan · 14-day trial

  A broad team drive with strong collaboration, recovery, and Workspace integration.

  Visit Google DriveFull verdict →
• Nextcloud Files8.7/10 · Free plan

  A flexible open-source choice for teams that want control over storage and data.

  Visit NextcloudFull verdict →