Permafiles

Permafiles is managed Nextcloud cloud storage with family photo sharing, file sync and built-in collaboration. It is best suited to UK and EU households that want shared albums without operating a server. The main trade-off is a small free allowance, while paid tiers add storage without removing the service’s broader office and calling tools.

Overview

Permafiles combines general-purpose cloud files with household-focused photo management. You can share albums, photos and folders while deciding who may access, edit or download them. Shared links can require a password and expire automatically, which is useful when sending a family collection beyond your regular account group.

The service is fully managed, so customers do not maintain Nextcloud infrastructure themselves. Permafiles says its servers are hosted in Germany and customer file data is held on third-party S3-compatible storage in the United Kingdom. Daily offsite backups and full restores within a couple of hours after a complete server failure provide a sensible recovery arrangement. The stated 99.999999999% annual durability target applies to its S3 storage, rather than making any quota unlimited.

Key features

• Family photo sharing: Shared albums, folder permissions and video backup make it suitable for a household archive. Granular download and editing controls are more practical than an all-or-nothing public link.
• Office collaboration: Nextcloud Office supports online documents, spreadsheets and presentations. This is valuable when the same account must handle school or household paperwork, but unnecessary overhead for someone seeking photo backup alone.
• Calls: Nextcloud Talk supports calls for up to 10 people, enough for a family group but not a large meeting.
• Mail integration: The Nextcloud Mail app can connect to Gmail and other providers through IMAP and SMTP, keeping supported email accounts alongside files.
• Protection and recovery: HTTPS/TLS, two-factor authentication, brute-force protection and antivirus protection cover core account and file risks. Optional end-to-end encryption is available for supported folders and use cases, so it is not a universal setting for every item.
• Support: Permafiles says contact-form replies arrive within 24 hours and live chat operates during office hours.

Pricing

Every listed tier is fully managed and includes Nextcloud Talk, Nextcloud Office, daily offsite backups and antivirus protection. There is no feature reduction shown as storage increases; the decision is primarily how much space your archive needs.

The free plan’s 5 GB is suitable for evaluating the apps or keeping a compact set of files, but photos and especially video will consume it quickly. Tiny and Small keep the monthly cost low while requiring tighter curation; Medium through Large are more comfortable for active family sharing. The 1TB–3TB options suit users who want a long-term media archive without splitting it across services. No seat count, trial period or renewal condition is given, so these plans should be understood as storage quotas rather than published multi-seat bundles.

Platforms

Permafiles is available on Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, the web and Windows. Nextcloud sync clients cover all five desktop and mobile operating systems, so a mixed-device household can keep one library synchronized. A desktop app, shared albums and video backup are also supported.

Who it's for

Permafiles is a strong fit for UK and EU families wanting managed storage, controlled photo sharing and occasional document editing or small-group calls in one account. It also suits people who like Nextcloud’s ecosystem but do not want to administer a server. It is less compelling for a photo-only user who needs more than 5 GB at no cost, or for a business requiring published seat, administration or meeting limits beyond the 10-person Talk cap.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Permissioned albums, folders and expiring password links support safer family sharing.
• Office, mail integration and 10-person calls extend the service beyond backup.
• Daily offsite backups, German-hosted infrastructure and UK storage address recovery and regional needs.
• Storage scales from 5 GB to 3 TB with consistent core features.

Cons

• 5 GB free storage is restrictive for photo and video collections.
• End-to-end encryption applies only to supported folders and use cases.
• Talk is limited to 10 people, and published plans do not state seat allowances.
• The service is primarily aimed at UK and EU customers, which may make it less suitable elsewhere.

Alternatives

For a wider shortlist, see Photo Storage Services.

IDrive is worth choosing when you want a 100 GB one-user tier at $0.25 per month or a free trial alongside its broad platform coverage.

Amazon Photos suits readers who prefer a 5 GB shared free allowance or an Amazon Prime benefit centered on photo storage.

Cryptee is the alternative for readers prioritizing independently reviewable open-source software and cryptography.

Ente Photos is a better match when a 10 GB free plan, replicas and family-oriented paid storage are the priority.

Noodle Gallery suits users who want free self-hosting with no storage cap on their own hardware.

PhotoPrism is for readers who want self-hosted photo management, including an unlimited-storage Community plan.

Stingle Photos is an open-source option with a free 1 GB tier and paid storage plans.

Flickr is the alternative for a public-photo service with a 1,000-upload free tier or unlimited storage on Pro.

Verdict

Choose Permafiles if your household wants managed Nextcloud storage, controlled family albums and useful office and calling tools across mixed devices. Its strongest reason to buy is the combination of sharing controls, recovery measures and straightforward storage steps. Look elsewhere if 5 GB is not enough to start, if you need larger calls or defined team seats, or if self-hosting or a photo-specialist service matters more than an integrated Nextcloud account.