Alternatives to Seafile
Fast self-hosted file sync with delta sync
Seafile ranks #2 of 11 in File sync, with an Alt Score of 93. It is licensed under AGPL-3.0, open source with paid hosting from $8/user/month and available on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android and Web. 12 of 12 checklist rows are verified against a public source.
Individuals, teams, and organizations that want Dropbox-like file sync and sharing but on infrastructure they control, including universities and enterprises with data-privacy or compliance requirements.
A self-hosted (or managed-cloud) file sync and share platform organized around 'libraries' — top-level folders that can be individually shared, encrypted, and permissioned. It includes desktop and mobile sync clients, a web interface with file versioning and history, online document editing and co-editing (SeaDoc), wiki and table/kanban views, and admin controls like audit logs and granular read/write/preview permissions with optional password protection.
Files are organized into libraries that sync via a client-server model, with changes tracked at the block level for efficient incremental sync and version history. Libraries can optionally be client-side encrypted so the server only stores encrypted blocks, and the whole system (server, web UI Seahub, and clients) is deployed on your own infrastructure or via Seafile's managed cloud.
Where Seafile stands out
Verified capabilities most alternatives don't have.
Why people leave Seafile
Dashed reasons are sourced facts; the rest are opinions. Vendors can dispute.
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Ranked alternatives
Ordered by Alt Score. Click any score to see the breakdown.
GoodSync is proprietary file synchronization and backup software from Siber Systems for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android.
SyncBackPro, made by 2BrightSparks, is Windows backup/sync software used by individuals, small businesses and organizations including law enforcement and healthcare.
Syncovery, from Super Flexible Software, is a Windows/Mac/Linux sync and backup tool supporting two-way sync, versioning, encryption, and dozens of cloud/FTP/SFTP/WebDAV targets.
Unison is a free, open-source, cross-platform file synchronization tool that runs on Linux, macOS and Windows.
ChronoSync, by Econ Technologies, is a macOS application for incremental and bidirectional file/folder synchronization, bootable backups, and drive cloning, with support for SFTP, network shares and c.
FolderSync is a sync client (Android app plus Windows/Mac/Linux desktop companion) that keeps device folders synchronized with 20+ cloud providers and protocols including S3, WebDAV, FTP/SFTP, SMB and.
Feature comparison
Rows come from the File sync checklist (16 rows). Human-verified cells only. ? means the value has not been verified.
| File sync checklist | Seafile | GoodSync | SyncBackPro | Syncthing | Syncovery | Unison |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | ||||||
| Starts at | ||||||
| License | ||||||
| Platforms | ||||||
| Peer-to-peer (no server) | ||||||
| Self-hostable server | ||||||
| Selective sync | ||||||
| Delta sync | ||||||
| Conflict handling | ||||||
| Untrusted-device encryption | ||||||
| Bandwidth limits | ||||||
| LAN sync | ||||||
| File versioning | ||||||
| Ignore patterns | ||||||
| Mobile support | ||||||
| Open source |
Every fact and feature listed for Seafile is verified against its own pages. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.
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License AGPL-3.0 verified 2026-07-08
Server core AGPLv3; desktop sync client is GPLv2.
The Seafile server core is published under AGPLv3. Other components of Seafile have different licenses.
https://github.com/haiwen/seafile-server -
Pricing model OSS + paid hosting verified 2026-07-08
Self-hostable OSS Community edition + paid Pro editions and hosted Team cloud.
3 users — Free ... From 10 to 249 — $48 /User (€44)
https://www.seafile.com/en/pricing/ -
Starts at $8/user/month verified 2026-07-08
Cloud Team plan; on-prem Pro is free up to 3 users, 9-user license $100.
Team Plan — 8 USD/user/month
https://www.seafile.com/en/pricing/ -
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web verified 2026-07-08
Client for Windows (version 9.0.20) ... Client for Mac (version 9.0.19) ... Client for Linux ... Version 4.0 for Android ... Version 4.0 for iOS
https://www.seafile.com/en/download/ -
Status active verified 2026-07-08
Client for Windows (version 9.0.20)
https://www.seafile.com/en/download/ -
Peer-to-peer (no server) No verified 2026-07-08
Client-server architecture; sync goes through a central server.
The Seafile server core is published under AGPLv3.
https://github.com/haiwen/seafile-server -
Self-hostable server Yes verified 2026-07-08
The Seafile server core is published under AGPLv3. Other components of Seafile have different licenses.
https://github.com/haiwen/seafile-server -
Selective sync Yes verified 2026-07-08
Support syncing any sub-folder with a community server
https://manual.seafile.com/latest/changelog/client-changelog/ -
Delta sync Yes verified 2026-07-08
Block-level (git-like) sync transfers only changed blocks.
Do not re-download file blocks when restart Seafile during file syncing
https://manual.seafile.com/latest/changelog/client-changelog/ -
Conflict handling Yes verified 2026-07-08
Popup a tip when file conflicts happen
https://manual.seafile.com/latest/changelog/client-changelog/ -
Untrusted-device encryption Yes verified 2026-07-08
The file encryption/decryption is performed on client-side when using the desktop client for file synchronization. ... The password of an encrypted library is not stored on the server.
https://manual.seafile.com/latest/administration/security_features/ -
Bandwidth limits Yes verified 2026-07-08
you can set `upload_limit` and `download_limit` option in the `[fileserver]` group to limit the speed of file upload and download.
https://manual.seafile.com/latest/config/seafile-conf/ -
LAN sync Yes verified 2026-07-08
Support of file syncing from both inside and outside the LAN
https://manual.seafile.com/latest/changelog/client-changelog/ -
File versioning Yes verified 2026-07-08
If you don't want to keep all file revision history, you may set a default history length limit for all libraries.
https://manual.seafile.com/latest/config/seafile-conf/ -
Ignore patterns Yes verified 2026-07-08
Support ignore certain files by seafile-ignore.txt
https://manual.seafile.com/latest/changelog/client-changelog/ -
Mobile support Yes verified 2026-07-08
Version 4.0 for Android ... Version 4.0 for iOS
https://www.seafile.com/en/download/ -
Open source Yes verified 2026-07-08
The Seafile server core is published under AGPLv3. Other components of Seafile have different licenses.
https://github.com/haiwen/seafile-server
FAQ
Yes. GoodSync, Syncthing and Unison have a free tier or are fully free. Free-tier limits in the comparison table are verified and dated.
Syncthing, Unison and rclone — every license claim links its source.