01 / Nextcloud for business
Nextcloud for small businesses: what it is
Nextcloud is open-source software made by Nextcloud GmbH in Stuttgart, Germany. It runs on a server of your choice and gives you file storage with sync clients for Windows, macOS and Linux, apps for iPhone and Android, calendars, contacts, video calls and chat (Nextcloud Talk), and shared editing of documents in the browser.
The key difference from Google and Microsoft: you decide where the server is and who runs it. The Community edition has no licence fee. You pay for the server or managed hosting, and for setup and upkeep.
02 / Nextcloud for business
Why businesses want a Google Workspace alternative in Europe
Google and Microsoft now offer EU data centres. But location is only half the question. Both are US companies under US law, including the CLOUD Act of 2018, under which US authorities can, in certain circumstances, request data held in data centres abroad.
Transfers to certified US companies are currently allowed under the EU-US Data Privacy Framework of 2023. Its two predecessors, Safe Harbor and Privacy Shield, were struck down by the Court of Justice of the EU in 2015 and 2020. If you would rather not re-plan after every ruling, storing client data with a provider based in the EU, on EU servers, is the calmer route. That is a practical view, not legal advice.
03 / Nextcloud for business
What Nextcloud replaces, and how well
| Google / Microsoft | In Nextcloud | Honest assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Google Drive, OneDrive, SharePoint files | Nextcloud Files with desktop sync and virtual files | Very good. Share links with password and expiry date included |
| Google Calendar, Outlook calendar, contacts | Calendars and contacts over CalDAV and CardDAV | Very good, also works in Apple Calendar, Thunderbird and on phones |
| Google Docs, Word and Excel online | Nextcloud Office (based on Collabora Online) or ONLYOFFICE | Good for everyday documents. Complex formatting and Excel macros are weaker |
| Google Meet, Microsoft Teams | Nextcloud Talk | Good for small team calls. Large meetings need extra server components |
| Gmail, Outlook mailbox | Nextcloud Mail is only a mail client | You still need an email provider. We set that up as well |
| Google Forms, Microsoft Forms | Nextcloud Forms | Fine for surveys and internal requests |
04 / Nextcloud for business
The trade-offs, before you decide
We only set up Nextcloud when it fits. These points always come up first:
- Real-time co-editing works, but feels less fluid than in Google Docs
- Excel power users with macros, Power Query or very large sheets are best served by desktop Office working on synced files
- Integrations with other tools such as CRM, accounting or Zapier are rarer than with Google or Microsoft
- Someone has to look after the server. Updates, backups and monitoring do not run themselves. We do it, or a managed hosting provider does
- Habits take time. Plan a short training session and a few weeks of getting used to it
05 / Nextcloud for business
Three ways to run Nextcloud
Managed Nextcloud hosting
A provider in Germany or the EU runs Nextcloud for you, and we set up users, folders, sharing and the migration. Good for teams who want no server at all.
Your own server in the EU
We install Nextcloud on a rented server in a German or European data centre, with backups and updates. More control and more storage for the money.
Nextcloud Enterprise
For companies that need direct vendor support and longer update cycles. The subscription comes from Nextcloud GmbH or a partner.
06 / Nextcloud for business
How the switch from Google or Microsoft works
- 01
Call and inventory
How many people, how much data, which tools must keep working? Afterwards you know whether Nextcloud fits, and you get a fixed quote.
- 02
Setup
Server or hosting, users and groups, folder structure, sharing, two-factor login and backups that follow the 3-2-1 rule.
- 03
Move the data
Files from Google Drive (via Google Takeout or direct sync) or OneDrive, calendars as ICS, contacts as vCard.
- 04
Run both side by side
For one to two weeks both systems run in parallel until everyone is comfortable. Only then do you cancel the old subscription.
- 05
Training and handover
A short session for the team, documentation and every login in your company's name.
07 / Nextcloud for business
Who Nextcloud suits, and who it does not
Nextcloud suits offices, practices, law firms, trades and agencies with 3 to 30 people who mostly share files, plan appointments and need client data stored safely. Teams that currently juggle Dropbox, USB sticks and email attachments gain the most.
It suits you less if your team co-writes in Google Docs all day, or if your processes depend on Microsoft Teams, SharePoint lists and Power Automate. Then it is more honest to keep Microsoft 365 and only clean up email, DNS and backups. The overview server setup for small businesses shows how the pieces fit together.
Email runs separately from Nextcloud. Mailboxes on your domain and moving your old mail are covered on business email setup. To keep mail from the new setup out of spam folders you also need SPF, DKIM and DMARC, explained in our guide emails going to spam.
FAQ
Common questions
01Is Nextcloud free for businesses?
The Community edition is open source with no licence fee. You pay for the server or managed hosting, the setup and ongoing upkeep. If you want vendor support, Nextcloud Enterprise is a paid subscription.
02Is Nextcloud GDPR compliant?
Nextcloud is a tool; compliance depends on how it is run: server location, a data processing agreement with the host, access rights, encryption and backups. With an EU server and a clean setup, many requirements are easier to meet than with a US provider. This is not legal advice.
03Can we keep using Word and Excel?
Yes. With the Nextcloud desktop client your files appear as normal folders on your computer and open in Word and Excel. If you keep a Microsoft 365 licence, you can carry on working that way.
04Do we still need an email provider?
Yes. Nextcloud Mail is an email client, not a mail server. We set up your mailboxes with a suitable provider, based in the EU if you prefer, and connect them.
05What happens if the server goes down?
Thanks to sync, your files also live on the team's computers, and we back up the server following the 3-2-1 rule with a copy at a second provider. With managed hosting, the provider also looks after uptime.
06How many users can Nextcloud handle?
Technically, very large organisations. Our offer is aimed at small teams of one to about thirty people, where setup takes a few days.