I’ve used cloud storage almost my entire life. It’s convenient. As long as you can install an app and sign in, you’ll have access to your files anywhere you go. However, the convenience comes with compromises: monthly subscriptions, slow sync for large files, and conceding control to servers you don’t own.
Nextcloud became a reliable escape, especially since I could self-host it. However, the entire suite is overkill, especially if you’re simply looking to store files. So, I tried Seafile, and it instantly proved to be one of the best options for high-performance syncing. I was getting Google’s stream-on-demand functionality without my data leaving my home network.
OS
Windows, Android, macOS, iOS, Linux
Developer
Seafile Ltd.
Price model
Freemium
Seafile is an enterprise-ready, open-source file syncing solution offering self-hosted control and high performance. It features end-to-end encryption and a virtual drive client, serving as a private, reliable alternative to Dropbox.
Seafile is fast because it treats files as data, not documents
Block-level syncing and libraries change everything
Afam Onyimadu / MUO
Seafile’s speed is its standout feature. Syncing works great because of how it handles data. Files change a lot over time, and Seafile is smart enough not to re-upload entire files when these changes occur. It breaks your file into small blocks and only syncs the bits that have actually changed. So, when you edit just a single paragraph in a large document, you can expect only that small change to be synced.
As your library grows, you’ll begin to appreciate this architecture more. My folders are typically full of screenshots, drafts, PDFs, and project files. Traditional syncing would take hours to complete each time, but it’s almost instant with Seafile.
Seafile also allows me to organize my data into focused libraries. I have work, personal, and archive libraries, and each can be managed, synced, or paused independently. This is a cleaner storage implementation compared to Google Drive, where everything lives together. It’s also more efficient than Nextcloud, which indexes every single file change individually.
Running Seafile locally doesn’t mean running a home server
Your everyday PC is more than enough
Afam Onyimadu / MUO
If you haven’t tried self-hosting, it can sound intimidating. However, I use Seafile on my everyday PC. You don’t need a data center with rack-mounted hardware and noisy fans to self-host it. It runs when I turn on my computer and quietly remains in the background.
But the most important point is that my local-only Seafile setup stores all my files on my internal drive and an external SSD. I don’t need or use remote servers, and even when internet service isn’t available, all my files are still accessible. I can edit them or sync them across other devices connected to my local network.
This local-first architecture sets it apart from cloud storage. Where Google Drive treats my PC as a client, Seafile sees it as the host and hub. As long as that PC is available, everything else connects to it.
This is where Seafile genuinely feels like Google Drive
Virtual drives, streamed files, and native file managers
Seafile Drive Client was the single most valuable feature for me. It allows me to mount my libraries as a virtual drive on any Windows or Linux computer, eliminating the need to sync everything upfront. This is very similar to Google Drive’s streaming mode. I can browse my files in File Explorer (Windows) or my home directory (Linux), and although my files are always visible, they only take up space when I open them.
This small detail has greatly influenced my workflow. Opening files when I need them feels like a native PC process. I don’t duplicate data just because I want it to always be available.
I can retain my normal habits since access to files is within the native file system. I use my right-click menu, drag-and-drop, and keyboard shortcuts the same way when interacting with Seafile files. It acts more like the storage system your PC should have than a self-hosted tool.
File history, recovery, and encryption without trusting a provider
Control replaces blind faith
Afam Onyimadu / MUO
Good storage, sync, or backup tools earn their place through the fail-safe options they implement. With Seafile, if you overwrite a file or aggressively clean it up, version history will quickly fix it. You don’t need to restore an entire backup; simply rolling it back to yesterday’s (or last week’s) version fixes the problem.
I use encrypted libraries as an extra layer of control for all my sensitive data. Seafile makes these libraries extra secure by password-protecting them with passwords that aren’t stored on the server. It may seem like overkill since I own the server, but it’s reassuring that certain files are protected by design. It reduces blind trust in a system.
It goes a step further with snapshots that allow me to roll back my entire library to a clean state. This feature is handy if the library is affected by malware. Cloud storage has never been able to give this kind of confidence.
Related
How I Encrypt My Files Before Uploading to the Cloud (and Why I Bother)
It only takes a moment to make your files much more secure.
A Google Drive experience, on my own terms
The moment I found an option where all my files live on my local PC but sync perfectly across all my devices, I stopped needing cloud storage. Seafile has transformed how I see storage and sync. File movement is fast and under my control, and my files are always accessible.
Aside from replacing Google Drive, Seafile also replaces the compromises I thought I would have to live with, and the best part is that I get all of this for free.
