Seafile
Seafile: A flexible open-source storage platform with encryption, permissions, and self-hosting. Ranked #19 of 64 in Cloud Storage Services by our editors (7.5/10); pricing: Free plan; best for open-source teams wanting encrypted libraries.
At a glance
- Editor score7.5 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forOpen-source teams wanting encrypted libraries
- Free planYes
- Founded2012
- Facts checked20 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Free open-source Community Edition supports self-hosted collaboration
- Client-side encryption, 2FA, protected links, and version recovery
- Works across web, desktop, mobile, and self-hosted deployments
Where it doesn't
- Professional Edition is priced at $48 per user annually
- Advanced collaboration and audit logs are in the paid edition
- Self-hosting requires organizations to manage their own deployment
Our verdict on Seafile
Seafile is a file hosting and collaboration platform for individuals, developers, small teams, and enterprises. Its core model combines synchronized libraries, virtual drive access, web-based file management, mobile apps, sharing controls, version history, and collaborative document editing with SeaDoc. Teams can deploy it on their own servers or in enterprise cloud environments, making it a fit for organizations that want control over storage and administration rather than a service limited to a single hosted environment.
The Community Edition is free and open source, with self-hosted file synchronization and collaboration, file access, version control, and team collaboration. According to the vendor's pricing page, the Professional Edition costs $48 per user per year with annual billing and covers 10 to 50 users. That paid tier adds advanced collaboration and file search, granular permissions, and audit logs. The published plans also include a cloud-oriented Plus Edition, giving organizations another deployment direction as their operating model changes.
Security and administration are central strengths. Seafile supports client-side end-to-end encryption for encrypted libraries, two-factor authentication, remote wipe, audit logging, password-protected and expiring share links, and granular folder and subfolder permissions. LDAP/AD, SAML, and S3-compatible storage support can help it fit existing identity and storage environments. Choose Seafile when open-source control, self-hosting, encrypted libraries, and detailed access management matter. Teams seeking a purely managed service with minimal deployment responsibility may prefer a hosted-first alternative.
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Seafile pricing
All 9 Seafile plans and prices →
Seafile fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Not verified |
| Storage limit | 500 GB |
| File size limit | Not verified |
| File versioning | Yes |
| Zero-knowledge encryption | Yes |
| Device platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Business admin controls | Yes |
| Deployment | Cloud, Self-hosted, Desktop, Mobile |
| Platforms | Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Compliance & security | SSO/SAML, 2FA |
| Support | Email, Community, Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 6 integrations: WebDAV, OnlyOffice, Collabora Online, Microsoft Office Online, AWS S3, LDAP/AD |
| Pricing | Free plan (source) |
| Website | seafile.com |
| Facts checked | 20 Sep 2026 |
Seafile integrations
Seafile lists 6 integrations on its own site.
- WebDAV
- OnlyOffice
- Collabora Online
- Microsoft Office Online
- AWS S3
- LDAP/AD
Alternatives to Seafile
- Microsoft OneDriveA flexible, low-cost cloud storage service with deep Microsoft 365 integration.9.2
- BoxA broad cloud storage platform for businesses that need content controls and workflow tools.9.1
- Google Cloud StorageScalable bucket storage with lifecycle controls, replication, and broad developer access.9.0
See all Seafile alternatives →
Also Ranked In
Seafile is ranked in 6 of our directories.
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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