Deploy your own cloud storage and eliminate €15-30/user/month subscriptions while controlling exactly where your business data lives.
Deploy free—eliminate €15-30/user/month subscriptionsOwn your data on Finnish infrastructureReplace Microsoft 365 without per-user feesGDPR-proof storage you control completely
Your cloud storage bill keeps growing—€15-30 per user monthly for Dropbox Business or Microsoft OneDrive adds up to thousands annually while your data sits in unknown data centers. When compliance audits ask where customer files live or your legal team reviews vendor contracts, you're stuck trusting external promises instead of demonstrating control. Nextcloud with MariaDB eliminates recurring subscription costs entirely while giving you complete sovereignty over files, calendars, contacts, and team collaboration—deployed on your Finnish infrastructure, following your data protection rules.
Designed for healthcare providers managing patient records, legal firms handling confidential cases, and public sector agencies with mandatory data residency requirements, this self-hosted platform addresses the compliance challenges that cloud services create. When your GDPR audit requires proof of data location, you point to your server. When clients demand enhanced data protection, you control access permissions and audit trails without relying on consumer tools that violate your policies. Replace your €200-500 monthly Microsoft 365 bill with infrastructure you own—deploy once and add 10 or 1,000 users without additional licensing costs.
Vaivatta deploys Nextcloud with MariaDB completely free. You own the infrastructure, control the data, and avoid vendor lock-in. We only charge for optional add-ons like automated backups or priority support—pay only for what you actually need, not per-user fees that multiply as your organization grows. Migrate from Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive at your own pace while maintaining daily operations.
Problems This Solves
Paying €15-30 per user monthly for cloud subscriptions that increase every year—your 50-person team's storage costs €9,000-18,000 annually with no end in sight
Unable to prove where your data lives during compliance audits because files scatter across unknown data centers, creating GDPR violations and failed vendor risk assessments
Sending sensitive client documents through personal Dropbox accounts or email attachments because approved collaboration tools cost too much or won't let external partners access files securely
Locked into Microsoft or Google ecosystems where migrating data out requires complex export processes, reformatting hundreds of documents, and losing metadata
Version control chaos where team members work on outdated file copies, creating duplicates and wasting hours reconciling conflicting changes before client deadlines
Shadow IT emerging as employees use unauthorized personal cloud accounts to share files because your approved tools are too expensive or restrictive for actual workflows
Features
Eliminate per-user subscription fees that multiply as you grow—deploy once and add unlimited users without additional licensing costs eating your budget
Control exactly where your data lives by deploying on Finnish servers to satisfy GDPR, HIPAA, or public sector data residency requirements with documented proof
Share files securely with external partners through password-protected links that expire automatically and provide download audit trails your compliance team demands
Collaborate on documents in real-time using Nextcloud Office integration, matching Google Docs functionality while keeping sensitive content on your infrastructure
Access files from desktop sync clients, web browser, or mobile apps—maintain productivity whether your team works from office, home, or client sites
Integrate with existing Single Sign-On systems to manage user access centrally without maintaining separate credentials for yet another cloud service
Migrate from Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive, or Dropbox by connecting external storage and gradually moving files without disrupting daily operations
Extend functionality through 200+ community apps for calendars, contacts, email, project management, and video calls—build your complete collaboration stack
Maintain complete version history and file recovery—restore accidentally deleted documents or revert to previous versions without opening support tickets
Deploy high availability configurations that keep files accessible even during server maintenance, matching enterprise SaaS uptime without subscription costs
Use cases
Replace Microsoft OneDrive or Google Drive subscriptions for your 50-500 person organization while maintaining file sync, sharing, and collaboration capabilitiesEnable healthcare providers to store patient records on Finnish servers that satisfy HIPAA and GDPR requirements with complete audit trailsAllow legal firms to share confidential case documents with external clients through password-protected links that expire automatically and track every downloadDeploy complete collaboration infrastructure for public sector agencies meeting mandatory data sovereignty requirements and open-source procurement preferencesMigrate your team from Dropbox Business gradually by connecting external storage and moving files at your pace without disrupting daily operationsProvide remote workers secure access to company files from desktop, web, or mobile while maintaining centralized control and version historyIntegrate with existing Single Sign-On systems to manage user access centrally without maintaining separate credentials for another cloud serviceBuild your complete collaboration stack with calendars, contacts, video calls, and project management through 200+ community apps on one platform
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nextcloud really free? What's the catch?
Nextcloud deployment is completely free—no per-user fees, no feature limitations, no hidden costs. You pay nothing for the core platform that replaces Dropbox Business or Microsoft OneDrive. We only charge for optional add-ons like automated backups, priority support, or SLA guarantees. Most organizations run successfully on the free deployment and only add paid services when they need enhanced reliability or compliance documentation. Compare this to Dropbox Business at €15-20 per user monthly or Microsoft OneDrive bundled subscriptions—your savings start immediately.
Where does my data actually live and how do I prove GDPR compliance?
Your data lives exactly where you choose—typically on your own servers or Finnish data centers you specify. Unlike Dropbox or Google Drive where files scatter across international data centers, you maintain complete control and documentation. During GDPR audits, you provide server location certificates and access logs from your infrastructure instead of trusting vendor promises. For healthcare providers, legal firms, and public sector agencies with strict data residency requirements, this demonstrable control satisfies compliance audits that cloud services fail.
Can I migrate from Microsoft OneDrive or Google Drive without disrupting operations?
Yes. Nextcloud connects to external storage including OneDrive, Google Drive, and Dropbox, letting you access existing files immediately while gradually moving data at your pace. Your team continues working normally during migration—no forced weekend cutover or productivity loss. Most organizations complete migration over 2-4 weeks, moving department by department. You avoid the complex export processes and reformatting nightmares that make leaving Microsoft or Google painful. We provide migration support to ensure smooth transition.
What happens if I modify Nextcloud code? Are there licensing restrictions?
Nextcloud uses AGPL v3 license, which requires you to share modifications if you provide the service over a network to others. For standard deployment without code changes, this doesn't affect you—commercial use is completely permitted. If you customize Nextcloud and offer it as a service to external users, you must make your modifications available. For internal company use or typical deployments through Vaivatta, AGPL poses no restrictions. You maintain full ownership of your data and configurations.
How does performance compare to Google Workspace or Microsoft 365?
File sync and storage performance matches or exceeds cloud services because data lives on your infrastructure without internet latency. However, collaborative document editing with 10+ simultaneous users shows slower performance than Google Docs—Nextcloud Office prioritizes privacy over real-time collaboration speed. For typical business workflows with 2-5 collaborators per document, performance feels equivalent. If your team needs Google Docs-level concurrent editing daily, consider hybrid approaches. For most organizations prioritizing data control over millisecond collaboration speed, Nextcloud delivers excellent performance.
Do I need IT staff to maintain Nextcloud or can Vaivatta handle updates?
Nextcloud requires regular updates, database maintenance, and monitoring—technical expertise that many SMEs lack. Vaivatta offers managed service packages where we handle all maintenance, security updates, and performance optimization. You benefit from self-hosted data control without hiring IT staff. Our managed services cost far less than equivalent SaaS subscriptions while maintaining your data sovereignty. Alternatively, organizations with existing IT teams can self-manage—Nextcloud provides enterprise-grade documentation and active community support.
Can external clients access files without creating accounts?
Yes. Share files through password-protected public links that work in any browser without requiring Nextcloud accounts. Set expiration dates, download limits, and upload permissions for each link. Clients access files directly while you maintain complete audit trails showing who downloaded what and when. This eliminates insecure email attachments and unauthorized consumer service usage that create compliance nightmares. External sharing matches Dropbox convenience while keeping you in control.
What happens to my data if I stop using Nextcloud?
You own all data in standard formats—unlike proprietary cloud services, nothing locks you in. Files remain accessible through normal file system access even if Nextcloud stops running. Export calendars as ICS, contacts as VCF, and documents in their native formats without conversion tools or vendor cooperation. This is the opposite of Microsoft or Google where leaving requires complex export processes and potential data loss. Your data sovereignty means true ownership, not just access privileges that vendors can revoke.
