Self-hosting OpenCloud the easy way
Yulei ChenOpenCloud is an open-source, self-hosted file sharing platform — a privacy-focused alternative to Google Drive, OneDrive, and Dropbox. Unlike PHP-based solutions like Nextcloud, OpenCloud runs as a single binary with no database required, making it radically simpler to deploy and maintain. It's 100% open-source under the Apache 2.0 license with no usage limits.
Sliplane is a managed container platform that makes self-hosting painless. With one-click deployment, you can get OpenCloud up and running in minutes — no server setup, no reverse proxy config, no infrastructure to maintain.
If you'd rather go the manual route, check out self-hosting OpenCloud on a Hetzner Ubuntu server — it walks through the full Docker + Caddy setup step by step.
Prerequisites
Before deploying, ensure you have a Sliplane account (free trial available).
Quick start
Sliplane provides one-click deployment with presets.
Deploy OpenCloud >- Click the deploy button above
- Select a project
- Select a server. If you just signed up you get a 48-hour free trial server
- Click Deploy!
If you prefer a video guide, just watch this:
About the preset
The one-click deploy above uses Sliplane's OpenCloud preset. The preset is built for a clean, stable default setup:
- Production image (
opencloudeu/opencloud) — OpenCloud offers three release types: Rolling (latest features every 3 weeks, for enthusiasts), Production (stability-focused, ~every 6 months), and LTS (long-term support with 2-year backports). The preset uses the Production channel for reliability. - Persistent storage mounted to
/etc/opencloud(config) and/var/lib/opencloud(data) - Default admin password is generated randomly and shown in your environment variables
Next steps
Once OpenCloud is running on Sliplane, access it using the domain Sliplane provided (e.g. opencloud-xxxx.sliplane.app). Log in with the username admin and the password from your IDM_ADMIN_PASSWORD environment variable. From there, you can customize the setup further.
Collabora integration
OpenCloud supports real-time document editing through Collabora Online. To enable it, you'll need to run a separate Collabora container and configure the WOPI server. See the official Docker Compose setup for details on connecting Collabora to OpenCloud.
Storage backends
By default, OpenCloud writes files directly to disk (POSIX storage). It also supports S3-compatible storage and Ceph for larger deployments. See the OpenCloud configuration docs for storage backend options.
Logging
OpenCloud logs go to STDOUT by default, which works well with Sliplane's built-in log viewer. For general Docker log tips, check out our post on how to use Docker logs.
Cost comparison
Of course you can also self-host OpenCloud with other cloud providers. Here is a pricing comparison for the most common ones:
| Provider | vCPU | RAM | Disk | Monthly Cost | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sliplane | 2 | 2 GB | 50 GB | €22.80 | Flat rate, free egress, SSL included |
| Fly.io | 2 | 2 GB | 40 GB | ~$17.83 | Disk and bandwidth billed separately |
| Render | 1 | 2 GB | 40 GB | ~$35 | 5 GB bandwidth included on Hobby; disk billed separately |
| Railway | 2 | 2 GB | 40 GB | Up to ~$66 | Usage-based; Pro required for a 40 GB volume |
Click here to see how these numbers were calculated.
Prices checked July 19, 2026. Assuming an always-on instance running 730 hrs/month, Germany/Amsterdam where regional pricing applies, excluding VAT and egress.
- Sliplane: Base server with 2 vCPU, 2 GB RAM and 20 GB storage = €17.80/month; the 50 GB storage tier adds €5 -> €22.80/month. Unlimited services, free egress and SSL are included.
- Fly.io: in Amsterdam,
shared-cpu-2xwith 2 GB RAM = $11.83/month + 40 GB volume × $0.15/GB = $6 -> ~$17.83/month. Egress is billed separately at $0.02/GB in Europe. - Render: closest match is Standard ($25, 1 vCPU / 2 GB) plus 40 GB disk × $0.25/GB = $10 -> ~$35/month. A Hobby workspace includes 5 GB bandwidth, then charges $0.15/GB. Stepping up to Pro compute (2 vCPU / 4 GB) costs $85/month plus disk.
- Railway (Pro plan): at full resource usage: CPU 2 × $20/vCPU/month = $40; RAM 2 × $10/GB/month = $20; volume 40 × $0.15/GB/month = $6 -> up to ~$66/month. Actual CPU and RAM charges depend on usage. A 40 GB volume requires Pro; its $20/month subscription is a minimum commitment that counts toward usage, not an additional charge. Egress is $0.05/GB.
Bandwidth costs can add up fast on usage-based providers. Use our bandwidth cost comparison tool to see what your egress would cost on each platform.
Move the slider or play the animation to compare monthly egress costs. Sliplane stays free as traffic grows.
Egress only, excluding compute and storage. Based on public US/European rates checked July 19, 2026. Render includes its first 5 GB per month. Sliplane egress is free, subject to the Fair Use Policy.
FAQ
Is OpenCloud really free?
Yes. OpenCloud is 100% open-source under the Apache 2.0 license. There are no usage limits, no user caps, and no feature gates. The team behind OpenCloud offers paid support subscriptions for businesses that need priority security notifications and integration help.
How is OpenCloud different from Nextcloud or ownCloud?
OpenCloud takes a radically different approach. While Nextcloud and ownCloud rely on PHP, MySQL/MariaDB, Redis, and Apache — OpenCloud is a single Go binary that writes directly to disk. No database, no PHP runtime, far fewer moving parts. This makes it much simpler to deploy, maintain, and back up.
Can I migrate from Nextcloud or ownCloud?
Yes, OpenCloud plans to support migration from both Nextcloud and ownCloud. Check the official FAQ for the latest migration status.
How do I update OpenCloud?
Change the image tag in your service settings and redeploy. Check Docker Hub for the latest stable version.
Are there alternatives to OpenCloud?
Yes, popular options include Nextcloud (the most feature-rich self-hosted cloud), Seafile (fast and lightweight), and Syncthing (decentralized P2P sync). Check out our blog post 5 Awesome Alternatives to OpenCloud for a full comparison.
