Comparison

ownCloud vs Synctrain

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

ownCloud

Access, sync, and share your private cloud files securely across all your devices. Create, edit, and collaborate on documents with colleagues, ensuring your data is always up-to-date and accessible.

Highlights
  • Private file sync and share
  • Cross-device synchronization
  • Secure file sharing
  • Create and edit files
  • iOS Files integration
  • Multi-select and drag-and-drop
Features
Read full description

Your files. Your server. Your ownCloud. Connect to your ownCloud Infinite Scale (oCIS) or ownCloud Classic server and access your private cloud from anywhere. Open source, self-hosted, no third-party cloud required. ownCloud gives you full control over your data. Whether you're a teacher accessing the school cloud, a sysadmin managing a federated deployment, or someone who simply refuses to hand their files to a big-tech provider — this app is built for you. FEATURES - Browse, Edit and Create files Work with your files directly on your device with Files integration, built-in markup tools*, and the document scanner*. Switch between list view and three grid views — all updating live as changes happen locally or remotely. - Built-in viewers View common file types right in the app. Swipe through images in carousel view. Navigate PDFs using their table of contents or full-text search. - Spaces (oCIS) On ownCloud Infinite Scale servers, organise work into Spaces with dedicated permissions, members, and quotas. Full Spaces support is built in. - Sharing and Collaboration Share files and folders with other users on the same server or externally via public links. Fine-grained permissions, password protection, and expiry dates give you control over every share. - Search (Local and Remote) Filter by date, size, type, or location. Save searches and create reusable templates. Local search works fully offline. On oCIS servers, server-side search can also find content inside files (depending on server configuration). - Offline Support Mark files and folders for offline availability. Work without a connection. Changes sync automatically when you're back online. Built from the ground up with offline-first in mind. - Multiple Accounts Connect to several ownCloud servers and accounts simultaneously. Switch between them seamlessly. - Deep OS Integration Native iPadOS multitasking, drag and drop, File Provider, and Shortcuts support. Built by developers who care about how apps should feel on Apple platforms. - Security The app tracks your server's TLS certificates and warns you about unexpected changes. Review certificate details (including a diff of what changed) and accept or reject — right from the app. * Some features may require an In-App Purchase or Subscription. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS iOS 15.4 or later, iPadOS 15.4 or later ABOUT OWNCLOUD ownCloud is the original open source platform for self-hosted file sync, share, and collaboration. Founded in 2010 in Germany, ownCloud is trusted by millions of users in education, government, research, and enterprise worldwide. ownCloud is maintained by Kiteworks through its Open Source Program Office. Learn more: https://owncloud.com/ Open source: https://github.com/owncloud/ios-app/ Terms of Use: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/owncloud/ios-app/master/LICENSE Privacy Policy: https://owncloud.com/privacy-statement/

About

Synctrain

Securely synchronize files and folders between your devices. Stream audio and video directly from other devices. Manage file sharing permissions to control access to your data.

Highlights
  • Secure file synchronization
  • Full folder synchronization
  • Specific file selection
  • Audio and video streaming
  • Cross-device file mirroring
  • Customizable sharing permissions
Features
Read full description

With Synctrain you can securely synchronize files with other devices that have Syncthing installed. You can choose to synchronize full folders, or choose specific files. With Synctrain you can also stream audio and video files from other devices. When you synchronize files, all changes, including deleting files, also happen on your other devices. Do not use Synctrain for back-up purposes, and always keep a back-up of your data. You decide with which devices you share which files. This also means the app makers cannot help you access or recover any lost files. This app is powered by Syncthing. This app is however not associated with or endorsed by Syncthing nor its developers. Please do not expect support from the Syncthing developers. Instead, contact the maker of this app if you have questions.

Screenshots

ownCloud4 screens
Synctrain4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Synctrain at 89% against ownCloud's 32%. Synctrain also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 6) and rating (4.9 vs 4.5). ownCloud's advantage is iOS requirement (15.4 vs 17.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. ownCloud sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per year. Synctrain asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Synctrain holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 352 and 123 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 32% of ownCloud's written reviews are positive against 89% of Synctrain's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ownCloud ships an update every 3 months, Synctrain every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
ownCloud versus Synctrain: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterownCloudSynctrain
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (352 ratings)4.9 (123 ratings) — better
Positive reviews32.5% of reviews89.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings352 — better123
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS15.4 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size72 MB33 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperownCloud GmbHT-Shaped

Customer experience

ownCloud

All ratings352 ratings
Positive87.5%
Neutral3.4%
Negative9.1%
Written reviews197 reviews
Positive32.5%
Neutral16.8%
Negative50.8%

Synctrain

All ratings123 ratings
Positive96.7%
Neutral1.6%
Negative1.6%
Written reviews95 reviews
Positive89.5%
Neutral6.3%
Negative4.2%

User reviews

ownCloud

From 352 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Good Dropbox alternative with privacy control
  • 🚀 Fast synchronization when working properly
  • 📱 Works well on desktop and iOS
  • 🎨 Clean, modern user interface
  • ♿ Accessible for VoiceOver users

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes
  • ⏱️ Slow file loading and navigation
  • 📤 Unreliable upload functionality
  • 🔄 Inconsistent synchronization issues
  • 🔋 High battery consumption

Synctrain

From 123 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Intuitive interface
  • 🚀 Seamless sync between devices
  • 🔓 Open-source and free
  • 💡 Integrates with iOS Files app

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional connection issues
  • 🔍 Could use more Apple-like design

Bugs and requests

ownCloud

Reported bugs

33 issues
  • App crashes on startup
  • Login screen freezes
  • Files app integration returns unknown errors
  • Blank screen on certain iPhone models
  • Screen rotation breaks file list display
Show 28 more
  • Photo upload limited to 3 at a time
  • Videos lose metadata during upload
  • App closes unexpectedly
  • Preview crashes when viewing images
  • Media access permission issues
  • Infinite loading without results
  • Files disappear from folders
  • Duplicate file downloads
  • Upload stuck in pending state indefinitely
  • Annotation changes not saved
  • Hand/palm movements close documents during annotation
  • iOS 18 compatibility issues
  • iOS 16 compatibility issues
  • Offline files not cached without internet
  • Shortcuts fail silently without in-app purchase
  • Make available offline hangs after first file
  • OAuth grant expires after device restart
  • Invalid grant errors on photo sync
  • App hangs waiting for server response
  • Scanning documents causes crashes
  • Folders become inaccessible after failed uploads
  • App requests password every 2 minutes
  • Dark mode text visibility issues
  • HEIC format instead of JPEG on upload
  • CSRF check failed on share link creation
  • Slow download speeds compared to web version
  • Battery drain in background
  • Synced files in hidden/unusable directories

Requested features

20 requests
  • Ability to unload/delete offline files
  • Cancel/stop upload functionality
  • Upload only on WiFi option
  • Show upload progress percentage
  • Show file sizes in status
Show 15 more
  • Priority queue for uploads
  • Folder upload capability
  • Text file editing support
  • Activity/modification tracking
  • Turkish language support
  • Automatic backup for all phone data
  • Photo gallery-style grid view with adjustable tiles
  • Swipe-down gesture to exit image view
  • Separate Photos/Videos menu tab
  • Improved web media access for faster photo viewing
  • Video controls for offline playback
  • External storage support visibility
  • Disable global search option for large folders
  • Notification badge removal option
  • Share links creation without CSRF errors

Synctrain

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Occasional app crashes
  • Sync delays on some devices

Requested features

2 requests
  • Direct photo/video sync to remote devices
  • Faster initial connection to server

In-app purchases

6 purchases

ownCloud

Subscriptions1
  • Pro Features$1.991 Year
One-time5
  • 30 Day Pro TrialFree
  • Document Scanner$2.99
  • Shortcuts Actions$2.99
Show 2 more
  • Markup Documents$2.99
  • Photo Pro Features$2.99
None

Synctrain

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ownCloud free?
ownCloud is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Synctrain free?
Synctrain is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, ownCloud or Synctrain?
Synctrain is rated higher. ownCloud averages 4.5 out of 5 from 352 ratings, while Synctrain averages 4.9 from 123 ratings.
Do ownCloud or Synctrain have ads?
Neither ownCloud nor Synctrain shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ownCloud or Synctrain?
ownCloud ships an update every 3 months, and Synctrain every 6 weeks. Most recently, ownCloud was updated on October 19, 2026 and Synctrain on October 15, 2026.

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