ownCloud Reviews

Pros

Having full control over the data is something I really value. It's hosted on our own infrastructure yet it still works much like a traditional cloud service, with agent-based syncing and web access which is very convenient.

Cons

OwnCloud obviously requires storage on your own servers since you're hosting it yourself, along with a public address, HTTPS certificate and DNS name. That means you need a certain level of technical know-how if you want a professional setup. Also some updates disconnect client machines which can confuse users a bit until they notice and reconnect.

Pros

It works well when installed on private servers. The platform makes it possible for us to share documents and different types of files and it can be accessed from multiple devices such as computers and tablets.

Cons

The graphical interface could use a redesign and be made simpler especially in the area for setting permissions and managing user policies.

Pros

Real-time online synchronization is one of the best parts of it and the platform also provides secure end-to-end encryption between users sharing information, whether it's over an intranet or across the internet.

Cons

HTTPS installation is quite delicate and takes a long time to complete.

Pros

Definitely, this tool is a fantastic way to browse, share and manage my files across both mobile and desktop thanks to its modern interface. Connecting my 2TB NAS to ownCloud and setting up separate partitions for work and personal use was very simple. After losing everything once because of an internal SSD failure, keeping daily backups became a habit and this software fits those backup and sharing needs perfectly without forcing me into an expensive monthly or yearly subscription. I'm also genuinely impressed by the upload performance on my home 2.5 gigabit ethernet connection since it only takes a few seconds to upload some of my favorite movies or series for streaming and sharing.

Cons

My only complaint with ownCloud is how long it can take to create a new user through the web app. It does not seem to be caused by my network because I notice the same delay on both my home and office connections. Hopefully that gets improved in a future update.

Pros

Really convenient for sharing files through the cloud and I can set exactly which users are allowed to access each individual folder.

Cons

At times some files don't sync in real time so we occasionally have to trigger the synchronization manually.

Pros

Love that it doesn't cost anything and can be expanded pretty easily with add-ons whenever needed.

Cons

Getting it up and running is a bit more involved than with some commercial cloud services but if having more control over your data matters, it's still an excellent option.

Pros

Setting up accounts is simple and it's convenient to customize access permissions for each client.

Cons

We've run into a few usability issues when using it in web browsers.

Pros

Working with this software feels very simple. It lets you collaborate with third-party people outside your company while still keeping full control over your documentation.

Cons

A downside is that you need a network connection to use all of its features.

Pros

Keeping our files under our own control instead of handing everything over to a cloud provider works much better for certain situations and ownCloud really covers that need. It becomes even more useful when sharing content and the custom link feature based on our own domain was a really nice touch.

Cons

Setting it up and keeping the system updated usually requires a fair amount of technical know-how. The auto-update process is frustrating as well and it often ends up being easier to handle updates manually.

Pros

Being open-source gives it access to plenty of plugins and there's also a solid support community around the software.

Cons

Development and community contributions haven't been as active recently especially when compared with NextCloud.

Pros

Sharing files with external users works really well and the calendar feature is excellent too.

Cons

A downside is that documents always have to be downloaded for editing when working on a device without the client software.

Pros

One of the best parts is being able to decide exactly who can access my cloud and what they're allowed to use.

Cons

The setup process is pretty time-consuming and takes a while to get everything configured.

Pros

Has solid community support and getting it implemented and deployed is pretty simple.

Cons

It can run into performance problems when handling a large number of small files.

Pros

Working with a remote team is much more manageable with this software. I can upload a document and everyone in the office, including employees working remotely, gets access to it right away. It's also lighter on bandwidth than Dropbox which has been a big plus for us.

Cons

Was missing a few features we were hoping to have.

Pros

A big advantage is how simple it is to use, along with the ability to give access and share content with everyone involved, including people outside the organization when needed. In my case, it has been a very useful tool for managing a project where we work together with many different companies across Europe.

Cons

Something that needs attention is setting the permissions for viewing and editing changes because we had a case where a user accidentally deleted part of the material. On the positive side, everything could be recovered.

Pros

Using this tool, I can organize all my data the way I want and store everything in separate files which makes finding and accessing it much faster whenever I need it. When I transfer and upload files to it, nothing gets lost and everything stays where it should be. I basically treat it like my digital USB especially for my photography files such as backgrounds, effects and frames.

Cons

The only thing I'm not really into is the dashboard theme. I wish it looked more colorful.

Pros

It feels very innovative and gives us the chance to build entirely new types of business.

Cons

Maintenance and implementation can be difficult to handle.

Pros

Running it on your own server is a big advantage because you can secure and configure everything exactly the way you want. It gives you the freedom to design the setup to match your own preferences.

Cons

Admin panel is still missing quite a few enterprise-level features. Also, the core file-sharing concept is not very user friendly at first and it takes some time to understand its limitations and get comfortable with how it works.

Pros

I feel like being able to run on my own server is a huge advantage because storage is only limited by the disk space I have available. It lets me create public links with or without password protection and I can even set those links to expire automatically. I can also sync as many folders as I want instead of being limited to a single one like Dropbox. Each folder can be shared with different people or groups and I get complete control over permissions, whether that is read-only, write-only for drop box use or full read/write access. Also, it is open source and completely free which makes it even more appealing.

Cons

There is an automatic update option but it has failed for me more often than it has worked. Manual upgrades are not too difficult although having the automatic update function work reliably would be a much better experience.

Pros

Automatic syncing between local files and the web platform works really well and is both quick and reliable. Permissions on shared folders are manageable and email alerts can be sent whenever someone updates a file in a shared folder. It's also possible to share a download link with external users and set an expiration date for it. Since it supports WebDAV, files can be opened through a web URL in Microsoft products and other compatible tools. Another big advantage is being able to host your own server on-premises. SSO authentication and custom branding also help it fit nicely with internal company tools.

Cons

Con is that the platform is not well optimized for handling very large files.