Seafile vs Pydio Cells

Seafile9.1Visit Pydio Cells8.8Visit

Higher score Seafile #2 in Self-Hosted Cloud Storage Software 9.1/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 2 features Visit Seafile

vs

Pydio Cells #4 in Self-Hosted Cloud Storage Software 8.8/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 2 features Visit Pydio Cells

• Seafile fits best

  Teams needing self-hosted sync and collaboration

• Pydio Cells fits best

  Organizations needing governed file collaboration

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Side by side

Feature	Seafile 9.1/10 Visit ↗	Pydio Cells 8.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.1	8.8
Ranking	#2 in Self-Hosted Cloud Storage Software	#4 in Self-Hosted Cloud Storage Software
Best for	Teams needing self-hosted sync and collaboration	Organizations needing governed file collaboration
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free plan + paid
Starting price	—	—
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud, Self-hosted, Desktop, Mobile	Self-hosted, Desktop, Mobile
Platforms	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Support	Email, Community, Docs	Tickets, Community, Docs
Compliance	SSO/SAML, 2FA	GDPR, HIPAA, SSO/SAML, 2FA
Integrations	6 integrations	12 integrations
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Seafile 1/2 · Pydio Cells 1/2
File versioning	✓	✓
Collaborative editing	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Deployment options	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
File sync clients	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Maximum file size	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Sync files across desktop clients or access them through a virtual drive Share folders and public links with permissions, passwords, and expiration Organize work with version history, wikis, and collaborative documents	Supports local and S3-compatible storage, plus Azure Blob and Google Cloud Storage Combines sharing, revision restore, access controls, audit logs, and workflow automation Works across web, desktop, and mobile, with REST API, SDKs, and WebDAV
Cons	Community Edition requires a self-hosted deployment Client-side encryption does not cover filenames and other metadata Pro pricing varies by team size and is billed annually for listed tiers	Self-hosting means organizations manage deployment and configured storage Connect starts at €3,280 per 50 users annually; Enterprise starts at €4,380 Home is positioned for home use and evaluation, not organizational governance
Our verdict	Seafile brings file hosting, synchronization, and collaboration together for individuals, teams, and organizations that want control over deployment. Its Community Edition is free, open source, and self-hosted. Desktop clients sync files,… Read the review →	Pydio Cells is an open-source, self-hosted file management and collaboration platform for organizations that want control over document sharing and access. Browser access, desktop synchronization, and mobile apps support work across… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Seafile — where it wins

  • Sync files across desktop clients or access them through a virtual drive
  • Share folders and public links with permissions, passwords, and expiration
  • Organize work with version history, wikis, and collaborative documents

  Where it doesn't

  • Community Edition requires a self-hosted deployment
  • Client-side encryption does not cover filenames and other metadata
  • Pro pricing varies by team size and is billed annually for listed tiers

• Pydio Cells — where it wins

  • Supports local and S3-compatible storage, plus Azure Blob and Google Cloud Storage
  • Combines sharing, revision restore, access controls, audit logs, and workflow automation
  • Works across web, desktop, and mobile, with REST API, SDKs, and WebDAV

  Where it doesn't

  • Self-hosting means organizations manage deployment and configured storage
  • Connect starts at €3,280 per 50 users annually; Enterprise starts at €4,380
  • Home is positioned for home use and evaluation, not organizational governance

• Seafile9.1/10 · Free plan

  Self-hosted sync and collaboration with desktop, mobile, and virtual-drive access.

  Visit SeafileFull verdict →
• Pydio Cells8.8/10 · Free plan

  Open-source, self-hosted file collaboration with plans that add identity and governance controls.

  Visit Pydio CellsFull verdict →