Cotton Cloud
Cotton Cloud: A focused, open-source storage option for people who want to manage their own file infrastructure. Ranked #12 of 30 in Self-Hosted Cloud Storage Software by our editors (7.6/10); pricing: Free plan; best for personal users prioritizing encryption and file versions.
At a glance
- Editor score7.6 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forPersonal users prioritizing encryption and file versions
- Free planYes
- Paid fromFree
- File sync clientsBoth
- Facts checked25 Oct 2026
Where it wins
- Restores file versions and supports retention policies
- Shares files through expiring links and single-use tokens
- Offers Android, Windows, and Linux sync clients
Where it doesn't
- Running it on your own infrastructure requires Docker and Postgres
- It does not provide collaborative editing
- Support channels are limited to documentation
Our verdict on Cotton Cloud
Cotton Cloud is open-source file storage for people who want to run their own storage infrastructure rather than rely on a hosted file service. It combines a browser interface with Android, Windows, and Linux clients for syncing files. Its focus is practical file management: upload, preview, share, and recover files. That makes it a fit for personal users and small teams who value control over storage and encryption, not people seeking a broad collaboration suite.
File handling is the product’s clearest strength. Chunked parallel uploads can retry missing chunks, while file versioning supports restore and retention policies. Sharing includes expiring links and single-use tokens. Stored chunks use AES-GCM encryption, and users can optionally create client-side encrypted folders. Content-addressed deduplication helps avoid storing duplicate chunks, and background integrity checks provide another layer of file maintenance. The browser can preview images, documents, audio, video, and 3D models, so Cotton Cloud covers more than basic sync and storage.
According to the product website, Cotton Cloud is free and MIT-licensed; it is deployed on user-managed infrastructure with Docker and Postgres. That arrangement gives technically comfortable users control, but creates setup and maintenance work compared with a hosted service. The product is also deliberately narrow: it does not support collaborative editing, and its listed support channel is documentation. Optional client-side encrypted folders have a stated 512 MB per-file cap, which matters if those folders are central to a workflow. Choose Cotton Cloud for self-managed storage, file versions, and encryption; consider another product if you need real-time collaboration or support beyond docs.
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Cotton Cloud pricing
Cotton Cloud fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Free |
| Deployment options | Self-hosted |
| File sync clients | Both |
| File versioning | Yes |
| Collaborative editing | No |
| Maximum file size | Not verified |
| Deployment | Cloud, Self-hosted, Mobile, Desktop |
| Platforms | Web, Windows, Linux, Android |
| Support | Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business (editorial estimate) |
| Pricing | Free plan |
| Website | cottoncloud.dev |
| Facts checked | 25 Oct 2026 |
Alternatives to Cotton Cloud
- Nextcloud FilesOpen-source file sync and sharing with self-hosting and organizational controls.9.3
- SeafileSelf-hosted sync and collaboration with desktop, mobile, and virtual-drive access.9.1
- ownCloudA flexible file platform with self-hosted and hosted options for organizations.9.0
See all Cotton Cloud alternatives →
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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