# Owlfiles vs Nextcloud

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Nextcloud at none against Owlfiles's 5. Nextcloud also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 4 weeks). Owlfiles's advantage is device support (5 vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Owlfiles sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Nextcloud asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Owlfiles against 4.7 for Nextcloud. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7.2K and 10K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 65% of Owlfiles's written reviews are positive against 61% of Nextcloud's.

Owlfiles ships an update every 4 weeks, Nextcloud weekly. Both last shipped on October 18, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Owlfiles | Nextcloud |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (7.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/owlfiles-file-manager/id510282524/reviews) | **[4.7 (10K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nextcloud/id1125420102/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 7.2K | **10K** |
| Positive reviews | **65.1% of reviews** | 61.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 182 MB | 341 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Skyjos Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/499470116) | [Nextcloud GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1296825573) |

## What reviewers say

### Owlfiles

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/owlfiles-file-manager/id510282524)

Access and manage files from local storage, network shares, and cloud services. Stream media, view documents, and transfer files seamlessly across devices. Offers advanced network tools and editing capabilities.

**Highlights:** Access SMB, NFS, WebDAV, FTP, SFTP, Connect to Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, S3, Stream movies and music, View and manage documents, photos, Built-in FTP and HTTP servers, Nearby file transfer, Network tools (Ping, Port Scan)

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Owlfiles Pro Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Owlfiles Pro Yearly Promo | $9.99 | per year |
| Owlfiles Pro Yearly | $12.99 | per year |
| Owlfiles Pro Lifetime Promo | $23.99 | one-time |
| Owlfiles Pro Lifetime | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Seamless file transfers
- 🎥 Good media playback support
- 🔒 Secure file management
- 💡 Useful network tools

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Limited free features
- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🤔 Confusing navigation

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to open certain file types
- Sync issues with network shares
- Inconsistent video playback performance

**Requested features**

- Thumbnail preview for files
- Resume playback option for media
- Batch file rename and delete
- Better integration with cloud storage
- Chromecast/AirPlay support


### Nextcloud

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nextcloud/id1125420102)

Access, manage, and share your files and photos from your private cloud storage. Upload media to free up phone space, work on documents offline, and utilize AI assistance. Secure your data with password or FaceID protection and end-to-end encryption.

**Highlights:** Connect multiple cloud accounts, Access and share documents, Upload photos and videos, Offline file access, AI Assistant, End-to-end encryption

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and stable
- 🔒 Secure and private
- 👍 Great alternative to big cloud providers
- 👍 Useful for home/business use
- 👍 Integrates well with iOS

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and crashes frequently
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 👎 Unreliable file syncing and uploads
- 👎 Inconsistent performance and responsiveness
- 👎 Limited functionality compared to web version

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to open/edit text files
- Issues with password-protected folders
- Problems with HEIC file support
- Inconsistent video playback
- Crashes on launch after updates

**Requested features**

- Improved background photo/file sync
- Better integration with iOS Files app
- Support for more file types and document editing
- Customizable sorting and organization options
- Streamlined setup and configuration


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Owlfiles free?

Owlfiles is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Nextcloud free?

Nextcloud is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Owlfiles or Nextcloud?

Nextcloud is rated higher. Owlfiles averages 4.6 out of 5 from 7.2K ratings, while Nextcloud averages 4.7 from 10K ratings.

### Do Owlfiles or Nextcloud have ads?

Neither Owlfiles nor Nextcloud shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Owlfiles or Nextcloud?

Owlfiles ships an update every 4 weeks, and Nextcloud weekly. Most recently, Owlfiles was updated on October 18, 2026 and Nextcloud on October 18, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*