ownCloud vs Google Docs

Dropbox Business

Microsoft 365

OneDrive

Microsoft Word

LibreOffice

Nextcloud

Compare ownCloud and Google Docs based on features, pricing, verified reviews, integrations & more on GetApp. Find out which software is best for your business in 2026.

Dropbox Business is an off-site server for file syncing, storage and sharing which allows teams of all sizes to save and share files of any format and access them anywhere, on any device

Nextcloud is a collaboration platform, which enables organizations to share documents, send or receive emails, manage calendar, and communicate via secure video chats. Features include workflow automation, user authentication, compliance management, remote access, and audit tracking.

OneDrive is a secure access, sharing, and file storage solution which enables users to store and share photos, videos, documents, and more at anytime, via any device.

ownCloud is an open source enterprise file sharing platform designed to provide users with secure access to company files and documents from any device. APIs and open architecture enable the addition of corporate branding and extension of core functionality to meet evolving company needs.

Access Controls/Permissions

Activity Dashboard

Activity Tracking

Alerts/Notifications

Archiving & Retention

Asset Lifecycle Management

Audit Trail

Authentication

Automatic Backup

Collaboration Tools

Commenting/Notes

Compliance Management

Compliance Tracking

Content Management

Customizable Branding

Customizable Templates

Data Import/Export

Data Synchronization

Document Capture

Document Classification

Document Editing

Document Generation

Document Review

Document Storage

Drag & Drop

Electronic Signature

Encryption

File Conversion

File Management

File Recovery

File Sharing

File Transfer

Forms Management

Full Text Search

HIPAA Compliant

Mobile Access

Monitoring

Offline Access

Password Management

Real Time Synchronization

Real-Time Notifications

Real-Time Reporting

Real-Time Updates

Reporting & Statistics

Role-Based Permissions

Search/Filter

Secure Data Storage

Secure Login

Single Sign On

SSL Security

Tagging

Third-Party Integrations

Two-Factor Authentication

User Management

Version Control

Workflow Management

ownCloud

Android

Linux

Web-based

Windows

iPad

iPhone

Chief Software Architect

Overall the product is good, and a number of addons provide good expanded integration and functionality.

Infrastructure and support Engineer

It is your own server so it is the best to secure by your own way.

It seems management had some terrible ideas which is why all the mind-share seems to be behind nextcloud these days.

ICT Manager

Very innovative and give us the opportunity to develop new kind of business.

Program Manager

One of the main features is the great ease of use and the possibility of access and sharing by all members involved, even external to the organization if necessary.

For a free solution it is one of the best choices in the opensource world.

When first added, there were a few errors that I had to have my host sort, because I couldn't find any documentation on them for the OwnCloud.

EFL teacher 

I believe that ownCloud is one of the greatest products for securely sharing files,  the software is accessible from all major platforms.

IT Specialist

Experience is overall positive as the benefits typically outweigh any difficulties. Data sovereignty and geo-fencing regulations are some of the main reasons I consider using ownCloud.

Network Security Auditor

In big folders with a lot of files, this take a while and it use a lot of hard drive. So when your OS starts client will kill the HD until finishing the indexing of files.

Analista de infraestructura

Being an Open Source, you can find information on the network, and in this way it can be violated by knowing how it is installed and configured.

Owner

OwnCloud has a good community support, is easy to implement and deploy.

IT CTO

You can have your own OwnCloud server on-premises. SSO authentication and Custom branding make a great integration with internal tools.

I love owncloud, i been there almost since it born, and I'm using it now, actively participating in the community.

web developer

The clients (I use Windows, Linux and Android clients) make it super easy to sync across different devices - set up once and forget about it.

Cloud Services Engineer

Structurized Admin Panel. Perfect for private users and companies with enough money.

Customer Service Manager 

It is easy to organize files, share certain files with certain people and keep confidential files confidential. The easy drag and drop features allows for document migration to happen quite quickly.

photographer

I will not need the flash USB and the hard disk  from now and that make me save more money and more safety.

ownCloud screenshot: ownCloud file sharing permissions

ownCloud screenshot: ownCloud file organization

ownCloud screenshot: ownCloud file activity tracking

Freelancers

Large Enterprises

Mid Size Business

Non Profit

Public Administrations

Small Business

Microsoft 365, formerly Office 365, provides web, desktop, and mobile apps for Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Publisher, Skype, OneDrive, Exchange Online, and more

Microsoft Word is a cloud-based word processing tool that allows users to create professional documents on their phones, tablets and computers. The program comes with numerous features including built-in spell checker and grammar checker, integration with other Microsoft 365 products such as Excel and PowerPoint, and access from anywhere.

LibreOffice is a cloud-based and on-premise suite of applications designed to help businesses, charities, and government organizations create, edit, and manage documents, spreadsheets, presentations, graphs, drawings, mathematical formulas, and more.

Google Docs is an online word processor that lets businesses create and format text documents and collaborate with team members in real time.

Annotations

Approval Process Control

Chat/Messaging

Content Creation

Document Automation

Document Management

Notes Management

Office Suite

Productivity Tools

Project Management

Reminders

Team Collaboration

To-Do List

Google Docs

Manager

Some options are missing from it, but that is to be expected from a web-based app. The only thing I dislike is how hard it is to open the documents generated in Google Docs through other software.

Telemarketer

The downside of this is that someone can edit the document as you are presenting and mess with your presentation or confuse your line of thoughts.

Tutor

The icons are small and it's easy to accidentally press the wrong button or hit the wrong combination of keystrokes and change the menu into tiny icons with no explanations.

Social media marketing 

I used this majority of my way in high school, college and now the post graduate work like. It’s so easy to navigate and I LOVE IT I share documents with my colleges ans co workers it’s amazing.

Learning & Development Manager

Super easy to use since it's just like Microsoft Office. Great if your device doesn't have Office and you need to use the same platforms.

I love how easy it is to use and how file sharing is super integrated. The quality for the cost of the product is super.

The ease of use of Google Documents is quite pleasurable. It is user friendly and is a good value for the price.

Attorney 

As good or better than any other wordprocessing software. The bonus is that it seamlessly integrates with other google software.

Enterpreneur

I like  the  part of being able to share document  to anyone  irrespective of  location. It  is super easy  and user friendly.

Some of the most prominent features of this app are. It's powerful and has a very elegant and simple user interface.

Physical Therapist

This is fabulous for easy sharing and collaboration. So important for use in the hospital between teams and using within my team to share the most up to date infomation.

Flower Shop Employee 

What I like most about the program, is the instant sharing ability, and ability to collaborate with others.

Assistant Teacher

Overall, I love using this software. It makes work fun and easy and I love organizing my day through it.

Educator

Google Docs is a full feature document generation software that costs nothing and  works seamlessly with all other Google products. Price alone will not win me over, but ease of use and quality will.

Cook

I use google docs all the time, it helps me with new jobs, it helps me with learning and it helps me with saving important personal information.

Student

Small but still annoying missing features - for example, the live word counter stops showing the word count at 20,000 characters for absolutely no reason.

Entrepreneur

I'm incredibly impressed. The solution is excellent, and customer service has been outstanding.

Med tech

Very great customer service. They make the program easy to understand and if you ever need help the support team is more than willing and so accommodating.

ownCloud vs Google Docs Comparison (2026)

ownCloud

Google Docs

Overview

Video & Screenshots

Pricing

User reviews

Key features

Integrations

Alternatives