Nextcloud

Nextcloud is a German self-hostable, open-source cloud storage and collaboration platform.

Ad-Free Privacy Friendly Open Source European Self-Hostable Energy Efficient Free of Charge Real-time Collaboration Works Offline Open Data
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Description

Nextcloud is an open-source, self-hostable platform for file storage, collaboration and communication, designed to provide users and organisations with full control over their data. Founded in 2016 as a fork of ownCloud, Nextcloud emphasises privacy, digital sovereignty and flexibility, allowing deployment on private servers or through trusted providers.

Nextcloud is highly extensible with countless apps installable on top of its core functionality. This makes Nextcloud an alternative to all kinds of collaboration tools, such as Video Conferencing (Nextcloud Talk), Office Suites (through Collabora or OnlyOffice), Note-Taking, Project Management or Calendars. Nextcloud provides a full list of its app on its website.

Nextcloud’s core software is fully open-source, enabling users to host their own instances and maintain complete data ownership. Administrators can define granular access controls for files, folders and apps, including LDAP/OpenID integration and guest access management.

In 2025, Nextcloud became the first cloud software platform to earn the Blauer Engel ecolabel, demonstrating its commitment to sustainability. The platform has seen increased adoption by European public sector organisations, driven by concerns over reliance on U.S. cloud providers and the need for digital sovereignty.

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Sustainability Features of Nextcloud

Ad-Free - Services that do not display advertisements to users, ensuring a cleaner and more private experience.

Nextcloud is ad free and does not monetise user-data.

Privacy Friendly - It does not track users unnecessarily.

Nextcloud does not track users or sell personal data, ensuring a private and secure experience with optional end-to-end encryption.

Open Source - Free and Open-Source Software

Nextcloud’s core software is fully open-source, allowing for independent audits and community-driven development.

European - Based in Europe, ensuring compliance with GDPR and European privacy and labor regulations.

Nextcloud is based in Germany, ensuring compliance with strong European privacy laws.

Self-Hostable - Services that can be hosted by users, giving full control over data and enhancing privacy.

Nextcloud is designed to be self-hosted, giving users full control over their data and infrastructure.

Energy Efficient - Hardware or services designed to consume minimal energy, reducing environmental impact.

Nextcloud became the first cloud software platform to earn the Blauer Engel ecolabel, emphasizing environmental responsibility.

Free of Charge - The services provided can be used for free.

Some third party providers offer free plans with up to 5GB of storage. The self-hostable community edition is free and without licensing costs.

Real-time Collaboration - Users can collaborate in real-time.

Nextcloud allows for real-time same-document collaboration.

Works Offline - Works even without internet connection

Nextcloud syncs files to your device. You can edit files offline and changes will sync automatically once you reconnect to the internet.

Open Data - Supports open data standards and transparency, allowing users to access and control their data.

Nextcloud is fully compatible with Microsoft Office and OpenDocument formats.

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Summary

Nextcloud is a leading open-source, self-hosted platform for file storage and collaboration, including video conferencing. It offers robust privacy, digital sovereignty and flexibility. Nextcloud's commitment to open-source principles, end-to-end encryption and sustainability makes it a compelling alternative to proprietary cloud services.

Sustainability Score
92

More Sustainable Alternatives for Cloud Storage, Video Conferencing, Office Suite, Note-Taking, Calendar and Project Management

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HedgeDoc

A free and open-source collaborative markdown editor ideal for self-hosting.

HedgeDoc is completely free of advertisements.
HedgeDoc is fully open-source, allowing anyone to contribute to or modify the codebase.
HedgeDoc does not track users, and data control rests with the instance administrator, making it privacy-friendly.
HedgeDoc can be used without creating an account, especially on public instances.
HedgeDoc is free to use, though hosting costs may apply if self-hosting.
HedgeDoc is designed to be self-hosted, giving users full control over their instance and data.
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Vikunja

An open-source task managament tool with offline-first apps.

Vikunja is developed in Germany.
Vikunja does not include advertisements in its interface.
Vikunja is open-source, enabling users to access, modify and contribute to its codebase.
Vikunja prioritises user privacy and does not sell user data or metadata
Vikunja is free to use when self-hosted.
Vikunja supports offline-first clients, allowing users to work without an active internet connection.
Vikunja can be self-hosted, giving users full control over their data and infrastructure.
Vikunja does not have AI features built into its core functionality, however it provides an MCP Server that allows for interaction with AI agents.
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OpenProject

Open-source project management software from Germany without user tracking.

OpenProject is developed and based in Berlin, Germany.
OpenProject does not include advertisements in its interface or user experience.
OpenProject is released as open-source software, allowing users to access, modify and distribute its code.
OpenProject follows a strict privacy approach, does not rely on user tracking and ensures high data protection and security standards.
The Community Edition of OpenProject is available for free, with optional paid enterprise features.
OpenProject uses a modular approach, where some advanced functionalities can be added via plugins.
OpenProject can be self-hosted on your own infrastructure, giving you full control over your data and environment
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Tuta

A German email and calendar provider with encryption by default powered by green energy.

All Tuta clients are open-source, allowing for transparency and community contributions.
Tuta uses green energy to power its servers, reducing its environmental impact.
Tuta does not track users or display personalised ads, it offers end-to-end, quantum-safe encryption, ensuring a private email experience.
Tuta is based in Germany, ensuring compliance with strong privacy laws and ISO/IEC 27001-certified data centers.
Tuta offers one email address with 1GB of storage free of charge and promises that this will not change.
Tuta is ad-free, providing a clean and distraction-free email experience.
Tuta allows management of custom domain emails for paying users. The domain must be registered elsewhere though.
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Taiga

An open-source, feature-rich project management tool from Spain.

Taiga is developed in Spain, making it a European project management tool.
Taiga does not include advertisements in its interface.
Taiga is open-source, allowing users to access, modify and distribute its code.
Taiga is GDPR compliant and designed with a focus on data privacy and security, giving users control over their data.
Taiga’s self-hosted version is free to use, with optional paid support plans available.
Taiga can be self-hosted on your own servers, ensuring complete privacy and security.
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OpenTalk

A German GDPR compliant video conferencing service.

OpenTalk is open source under the EUPL (European Public License).
OpenTalk comes with end-to-end encryption and does not engage in data mining for advertising.
OpenTalk does not show ads to its users.
OpenTalk by Heinlein is based in Berlin, Germany.
OpenTalk allows users to join meetings without creating an account or registering.
OpenTalk can be self-hosted, giving full control over data and privacy.
OpenTalk offers a free tier with meetings of up to 30 minutes length and 5 participants.
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Calendar.online

A lightweight online calendar from Germany with GDPR compliancy.

All servers are located in Germany, ensuring compliance with European data protection standards.
Calendar.online's focus is on a clean, functional interface without ad-distraction.
Calendar.online is GDPR compliant, stores IP addresses anonymously and does not pass or sell data to third parties.
Access is provided via unique links, and neither users nor administrators require an account or registration to use or share the calendar
A basic version is available free of charge, with the option to upgrade to paid plans for additional features.
No AI features "enrich" the product, keeping it lightweight and efficient.
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Standard Notes

An open-source note-taking app with a focus on privacy and security via end-to-end encryption.

Standard Notes is ad-free, providing a clean and distraction-free note-taking experience.
Standard Notes is fully open-source, allowing for community review and contributions, ensuring transparency and trust.
Since its acquisition by Proton, Standard Notes is based in Switzerland, ensuring compliance with strong European privacy laws.
Standard Notes is designed with privacy as a core principle, using end-to-end encryption for all user data.
Standard Notes works offline, allowing users to access and edit notes without an internet connection.
Standard Notes can be self-hosted, giving users full control over their data and infrastructure.
Standard Notes offers a free tier, with optional paid plans for additional features and to support the project.
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LibreOffice

LibreOffice is a widely used offline, open-source office suite.

LibreOffice does not require registration, ensuring user anonymity.
LibreOffice is free and open-source software, ensuring transparency and community-driven development.
LibreOffice works fully offline, reducing reliance on cloud services and internet connectivity.
The Document Foundation is based in Europe, ensuring compliance with GDPR and strong privacy laws.
LibreOffice does not collect or transmit user data, ensuring privacy and security.
LibreOffice can be self-hosted, especially through solutions like Collabora Online, giving users full control over their data and infrastructure.
LibreOffice is free of charge for all users, including individuals, students and non-profits.
LibreOffice does not show ads to its users.
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Collabora

Collabora is an open-source, online office suite built on LibreOffice.

There is no advertising, data mining, or tracking in Collabora.
Collabora is based in the United Kingdom, ensuring compliance with GDPR
Collabora is GDPR-compliant, with no data mining or tracking. For some reason, internally, the tools may use Google products for communication and sharing information. It's unclear what information is shared and why the team doen't trust open-source alternatives.
Collabora is open-source with a strong focus on digital sovereignty and user control.
Collabora can be self-hosted, further ensuring data sovereignty and privacy
Collabora is fully compatible with Microsoft Office and OpenDocument formats.
Collabora clients allow you to create, edit and save documents offline. Changes sync with your Nextcloud or other cloud storage when you reconnect.
Collabora is free of charge for testing and home use.
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Tresorit

Tresorit is a Swiss end-to-end encrypted cloud storage service with a focus on security.

Tresorit uses end-to-end encryption (zero-knowledge), meaning files are encrypted locally before upload and only the user holds the decryption keys.
Tresorit is based in Switzerland, ensuring compliance with strong European privacy laws.
Tresorit avoids unnecessary data consumption, focusing on efficient and secure file storage without AI-driven bloat.
Tresorit offers a free, basic plan with up to 3GB of encrypted storage.
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pCloud

pCloud is a Swiss secure cloud storage service with lifetime plans.

pCloud does not track users unnecessarily and its optional zero-knowledge encryption ensures that files are encrypted locally before being uploaded to the cloud.
pCloud is based in Switzerland, ensuring compliance with strong European privacy laws.
pCloud offers 10GB of unencrypted storage with a free account and promises that it will be free forever.
pCloud offers affordable plans that allow users to pay for storage once and use it forever (or as long as the company exists).
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CryptPad

CryptPad is a French secure, collaborative Google Docs alternative.

CryptPad is ad-free, providing a clean and distraction-free collaborative experience.
Cryptpad is fully open-source, allowing for community review and contributions, ensuring transparency and trust.
Cryptpad is based in France, ensuring compliance with GDPR and strong European privacy laws.
Cryptpad is designed with privacy as a core principle, using end-to-end encryption for all user data.
Cryptpad can be self-hosted, giving users full control over their data and infrastructure.
Cryptpad offers a free tier, with optional paid plans for additional features and to support the project.
CryptPad allows for real-time same-document collaboration.
Cryptpad supports open data standards and is fully compatible with Microsoft Office and open document formats.
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Joplin

Joplin is an extensible, open-source note-taking app, working offline and anonymously.

Joplin is free of advertisements.
Joplin is fully open-source, allowing users to audit, modify, or contribute to the code.
Joplin offers end-to-end encryption for syncing, ensuring that user data remains private.
Joplin does not require an account for local use, making it accessible without registration.
Joplin is free to use, with optional paid cloud sync services.
Joplin supports plugins, allowing users to add custom functionality.
Joplin is fully functional offline, syncing changes when an internet connection is available.
Joplin supports self-hosting, giving users the option to host their own sync server.
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Jitsi

An open-source video conferencing platform with end-to-end encryption, widely used for secure meetings.

Jitsi is ad-free, providing a clean and distraction-free experience.
Jitsi can be fully hosted on your own servers, giving complete control over data and privacy.
Jitsi does not engage in data mining for ads and comes with end-to-end encryption for calls with two participants.
Jitsi is free and open-source software, allowing anyone to inspect, modify and enhance the code.
Jitsi is free to use for everyone, with no participant limits or mandatory fees for basic features.
Jitsi allows anyone to join meetings without registration. Unfortunately, creating a meeting on the public instance (meet.jit.si) now requires a Google, GitHub, or Facebook account. Self-hosted instances can be configured to allow anonymous meeting creation.
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Wire

A Swiss secure messaging and video conferencing platform with end-to-end encryption.

Wire is free and open-source software, allowing anyone to inspect, modify and enhance the code.
Wire is based in Switzerland, ensuring compliance with GDPR and strong European privacy laws.
Wire offers end-to-end encryption for all communications and does not perform data mining for advertisement, ensuring user privacy and security.
Wire can be self-hosted, giving organizations full control over their data and privacy.
Wire offers a free tier, mainly for messaging. For video conferencing one has to opt for one of the paid tiers.
Wire's service is ad-free for all its free and paid tiers, it's funded through enterprise plans.
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Whereby

A Norwegian privacy-focused video conferencing tool with no account required.

Whereby is ad-free, providing a clean and distraction-free video conferencing experience.
Whereby offers end-to-end encryption for small meetings (peer-to-peer), ensuring user privacy and security.
Whereby is based in Norway, ensuring compliance with GDPR and strong European privacy laws.
Whereby allows users to join meetings without registration.
Whereby offers a free plan with no participant limits.
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Obsidian

A flexible and open app for storing and publishing notes on any device.

Obsidian does not display any advertisements.
Obsidian prioritises local-first storage, and any syncing is opt-in and encrypted, ensuring user privacy.
Obsidian is free for local use, with optional paid features for syncing and publishing.
Obsidian does not require an account for local use, allowing users to work entirely offline if desired.
Obsidian supports a robust plugin ecosystem, enabling users to extend its functionality.
Obsidian works fully offline, as it relies on local files that sync when a connection is available.
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Zenkit

A project managament tool from Germany with a modular design.

Zenkit is a project management tool developed in Germany.
Zenkit’s core features are provided without advertisements.
Zenkit offers a free tier that includes nearly all core features, with payment only required when usage exceeds certain limits.
Zenkit provides customizable dashboards and workflows, allowing users to tailor the tool to their specific needs.
Zenkit does not have AI features built into its core functionality.
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Fileverse

Fileverse is a cryptocurrency project, built on the IPFS protocol. This raises concern about the longevity of the project, given the history of Web3 applications.Source:Coindesk: Web3-Powered File Management App Raises $1.5M to Offer Alternative to Google (2023)

A privacy-first, dencentralised platform for document collaboration.

Fileverse is designed as a privacy-first alternative to platforms like Google Workspace and Notion, explicitly avoiding intrusive ads.
Fileverse is open-source, allowing independent review and community contributions. Its codebase is publicly available, and the platform is built on open standards.
Fileverse prioritises user privacy with end-to-end encryption, zero-knowledge access permissions, and local data storage (IndexedDB). It avoids data lock-in and centralised control, ensuring user sovereignty over their data.
Fileverse offers an accountless version where all documents are stored locally, and dDocs/dSheets are usable without creating an account.
Fileverse provides a free, open-source platform for document collaboration and other features, with no mandatory subscription or usage fees.
Fileverse operates on a decentralized architecture, using IPFS for optional file storage and sharing, and supports peer-to-peer collaboration.
Fileverse supports open standards and allows documents to be accessed via API.
Fileverse supports offline mode, allowing users to create, edit, and store documents locally without an internet connection. Changes can sync when back online.
Fileverse allows users to self-host their data on-premises or on centralized/decentralized servers of their choosing, providing full control over infrastructure and data.
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OnlyOffice

OnlyOffice is obfuscating its Russian ownership and refuses to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine.Source: Christine Hall: Lyon, France Adopts OnlyOffice: From Russia With Love (2025)

OnlyOffice is an open-source office suite with self-hosting options and GDPR compliance.

OnlyOffice supports open data standards, allowing users to control and access their data.
OnlyOffice is open-source software, ensuring transparency and community-driven development.
OnlyOffice desktop clients work fully offline, reducing reliance on cloud services and internet connectivity.
OnlyOffice is developed by a Latvian company, ensuring compliance with GDPR and strong privacy laws.
OnlyOffice does not collect or transmit user data unnecessarily, ensuring privacy and security.
OnlyOffice can be self-hosted, giving users full control over their data and infrastructure.
OnlyOffice offers a free community edition for all users.
OnlyOffice allows for real-time same-document collaboration.
OnlyOffice is ad free and does not monetise user-data.
Website

Suggestions and Feedback

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