Seafile vs ownCloud: Comparison and Features
You should compare Seafile and ownCloud to understand and know about the storage and sync capabilities, performance, ease of use, and security and encryption features available in Seafile and ownCloud if you are looking for a cloud storage software or if you have to decide and choose a better cloud storage for your needs from Seafile or ownCloud.
Both the opensource cloud storage systems, Seafile and ownCloud, offer a rich set of features for storing, syncing, sharing, and securing your data in the cloud.
In this guide, we will show you Seafile and ownCloud features and technical details, and how well Seafile and ownCloud stand when compared with each other. After looking at the features of Seafile and ownCloud below, you might be able easily decide which cloud storage, Seafile or ownCloud, is better for you.
Seafile vs ownCloud: Storage and Sync Capabilities
Seafile
The cloud storage and data synchronization platform, Seafile, lets you store your files and data on a central server and synchronize them with PCs and mobile devices. Seafile synchronizes your data between the Seafile server and the Seafile client applications installed on your laptops, desktops, smartphones, and tablets.
Seafile server is available for Windows and Linux operating systems and the Seafile client application is available for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS. In addition to using Seafile clients, you can also use the web interface to access your files and data stored in Seafile server.
Seafile lets you create libraries where you can upload and organize your files. You can sync each library separately. While synchronizing your files, Seafile handles file conflicts, and transfers the data which is not already available in the server preventing unnecessary bandwidth usage. Using Seafile, you can sync your files with two or more servers and the file transfers can be resumed. Also, Seafile comes with full version control mechanism.
ownCloud
Using ownCloud, you can store your files & folders, music, videos, contacts, photos, calendars, etc. in the ownCloud server and easily access your data anytime from the cloud server using your mobile devices, desktop PC, or web browser. ownCloud sync client is available for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS operating systems.
You can also add external storage to your ownCloud server with Dropbox, SWIFT, FTPs, Google Docs, S3, external WebDAV servers,etc. ownCloud provides version control for your data to find the previous versions of the files to bring it back, and also lets you to recover your accidently deleted files.
Using the Activity feed, you can see what is happening in your ownCloud, for example, you can see a notification when someone shared a file with you or when you created, changed, or deleted your files.
Seafile vs ownCloud: Sharing and Collaboration with Users and Workgroup
Seafile
Seafile comes with features to create groups with file syncing, online file editing, wiki, comments, discussion, and personal message support. The files are automatically saved while editing in Seafile. In Seafile, you can share libraries, sub directories, links, files, and folders to individual users and groups. If you want to make a file public, you can share the link to the file to make it available to the public for download.
ownCloud
ownCloud has extensive features for the management of user and groups. ownCloud supports real-time collaborative editing of rich-text documents from inside a web browser. Using the collaborative editing feature of ownCloud, up to five users can work on and securely edit an ODT or a DOC file within the web browser. ownCloud lets you create groups and share files with users, groups, and create a public link to any file.
ownCloud admins can force users to set a password on a publicly shared link to ensure its security. From the web interface of ownCloud, you can filter out and see which files are shared with you, the files which you have shared, files shared with link, and the name of the owner of the file who shared the file with you.
Seafile vs ownCloud: Security, Privacy and Encryption in Cloud
Seafile
Seafile comes with an advanced encryption feature to protect your files and privacy. Seafile lets you create passwords for your libraries and all the files and data are encrypted on the desktop client or browser before they are uploaded to the server. The browser side encryption can be enabled from the server, and if it is enabled, all your files are encrypted in the browser before they are transferred to the Seafile server.
The client side encryption features of Seafile makes it a very secure cloud storage system. File encryption is done on the client side and the passwords are not sent to the server. According to Seafile, if encryption is enabled, even the system administrators of the server cannot view the contents of the files in the server. In addition to the file encryption feature, the connection between the client and the server is also encrypted in Seafile.
ownCloud
ownCloud comes with an encryption app, and if you want to encrypt your files and data in the ownCloud server, you will first need to enable the encryption app. In ownCloud, encryption and decryption is done on the server side. This is different from Seafile's client side encryption. Since encryption is done on the server in ownCloud, it means the system administrators of the server can see the contents of the files stored in the ownCloud server.
If you want to use any third party storage service such as Dropbox or Google Drive as external storage in ownCloud, the encryption app might be quite useful to you. If the encryption app is enabled, all your files and data are encrypted on the server before they are sent to the third party cloud storage service which ensures the security and privacy of your data.
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