As a result, interest in self-hosted solutions has grown significantly. These allow you to deploy a service on your own hardware or on a server you control. One of the most advanced and feature-rich options in this niche is Nextcloud. It is a free, open-source platform that turns server space into a convenient cloud environment for files, communication, and teamwork.
What Nextcloud Is and How It Differs from Public Clouds
Nextcloud is a platform for storing, synchronizing, and sharing files that can be deployed on your own hardware or on a server under your control. This is its key difference from proprietary services such as Yandex Disk or Google Drive: instead of renting someone else’s infrastructure and accepting the platform’s limitations, you retain full control over the system.
Nextcloud is often perceived as simply a self-hosted alternative to Google Drive, but it has long outgrown the role of a file storage solution. The platform has evolved into a full ecosystem where you can build a complete workspace for a team: documents, communication tools, calendars, tasks—all within a single interface.
Core Features of Nextcloud
1) Files, synchronization, and version control
Nextcloud allows you to store data and synchronize it across devices. One of its key advantages is flexible file versioning. If a document is edited incorrectly, you can restore a previous version with ease.
2) Security and privacy
The platform supports encryption both in transit and at rest, as well as modern authentication methods including 2FA, TOTP, WebAuthn, and OAuth2.
3) Built-in communication tools
The Nextcloud Talk module adds chat, audio, and video calls directly within the system. Functionally, it serves as an alternative to services like Google Meet or Zoom, but with a crucial distinction: all communication runs on your own server with your own access policies.
4) Browser-based office document editing
Nextcloud can be integrated with Collabora Online or OnlyOffice, enabling real-time editing of documents, spreadsheets, and presentations directly in the browser. This is especially useful for teams that prefer working within a unified environment instead of sending files back and forth.
5) Organizing work and personal data
The platform includes tools for everyday productivity: calendars, contacts, tasks, notes, and even RSS feeds for those who follow work-related news and updates. Altogether, this turns Nextcloud into a true “control center” for workflows rather than just a file repository.
6) Marketplace and Applications: An Ecosystem That Grows with Your Needs
One of Nextcloud’s strongest advantages is its app marketplace. Thanks to its open architecture, the platform can be easily customized for specific use cases. You install only the features you truly need and gradually expand the system as your team’s requirements evolve.
Why Nextcloud Is Often a Cost-Effective Choice for Businesses
For small businesses, freelance teams, and smaller organizations, Nextcloud is valued for its practical benefits:
→ Cost efficiency. There is no need to pay per-user subscription fees or overpay for storage from a major brand. Total cost of ownership is typically limited to renting an affordable VPS or maintaining an office server.
If you are considering a server-based deployment, an affordable yet high-performance VPS can be launched with THE.Hosting. This makes it easy to deploy Nextcloud on modern NVMe-based infrastructure, scale resources as your team grows, and maintain full control over your environment without unnecessary expenses.
→ No advertising. Unlike free tiers of public cloud services, there are no intrusive banners.
→ Scalability. You can start with a basic configuration and later add CPU power and storage space as your company expands.
It is important to note that full control also means full responsibility. When you manage the system yourself, you are responsible for updates, backups, and access policies. This is not inherently difficult, but it does require discipline and planning.
Installation and Deployment: Fast, Especially with Ready-Made Images
Deploying Nextcloud can be done relatively quickly. A basic Docker-based server can be up and running in about 15 minutes. For those who prefer the simplest possible setup without manual preparation, hosting providers offer ready-made templates and preconfigured images. For example, on the Hostkey platform, you can order a server, select Nextcloud from the operating system list, and receive a ready-to-use environment immediately after payment.
Conclusion
Nextcloud is a mature platform that addresses multiple needs at once: file storage and synchronization, collaborative document editing, communication, and basic workflow management. Its key strength lies in full control—data and policies remain in the hands of the server owner, while functionality can be expanded with applications tailored precisely to your real-world requirements.