Seafile
by Seafile
What Seafile is
Seafile is a file sharing and synchronization service from Seafile, founded in 2012. It supports Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android, with file versioning, zero-knowledge encryption, and business administration controls. Community Edition is free and open source and supports self-hosted file sharing and synchronization. Pro Edition uses user-count tiers: $48 a year for 10–249 users, 44.00 USD for 250–499, 40.00 USD for 500–749, and 35.00 USD for 750–999. SeafilePlus Cloud has a trial for at most 3 users with 1 GB storage. Its Team Plan costs $8 a month, starts from 3 users, and includes 500 GB storage with 3 months of file-version retention. These choices cover self-hosted, tiered, and cloud deployments.
Who it suits
Seafile suits individuals and organizations needing synchronized files across major desktop and mobile platforms. Its editions also fit teams choosing self-hosting, user-based Pro tiers, or cloud storage.
What it does well
- Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android support
- Free open-source Community Edition
- Self-hosted deployment option
- Zero-knowledge encryption
- 500 GB Team Plan storage
What to know first
- No free plan listed despite freemium pricing model
- Some Pro tiers have no listed price
- Cloud trial is limited to 1 GB
- Team Plan requires at least 3 users
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Community Edition | Free and open source · File sharing and synchronization · Self-hosted deployment | On request |
| Pro Edition — 3 users | 3 users | On request |
| Pro Edition — 10–249 users | Annual subscription · 10–249 users | $48 a year |
| Pro Edition — 250–499 users | Annual subscription · 250–499 users | $44 a year |
| Pro Edition — 500–749 users | Annual subscription · 500–749 users | $40 a year |
| Pro Edition — 750–999 users | Annual subscription · 750–999 users | $35 a year |
| Pro Edition — 1000+ users | 1000+ users | On request |
| SeafilePlus Cloud — Trial Plan | At most 3 users · 1 GB storage | On request |
The first 8 of 18 plans, as seafile.com lists them, read 20 Sept 2026. The maker's own page has the final word. Every plan
Verdict
Seafile offers broad platform coverage and a choice between self-hosted and cloud editions. Check user minimums, storage limits, and unlisted tier prices when selecting a plan.
Facts from Seafile's own pages
- AI organization
- Seafile AI can generate file descriptions, tags and extracted file information. · seafile.com, 15 Oct 2026
- API
- Seafile publishes Web API documentation at seafile-api.readme.io and an older downloadable API reference. · manual.seafile.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Business admin controls
- Yes · seafile.com, 20 Sept 2026
- Community Edition change
- For version 13, Seafile discontinued binary packages for Community Edition and directed users toward Docker deployment. · forum.seafile.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Company facts
- LinkedIn lists Seafile Ltd as a privately held Beijing software company founded in 2012 with 11–50 employees. · linkedin.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Custom properties
- Files can have user-defined properties such as owner, status and security level. · seafile.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Device platforms
- Windows,macOS,Linux,iOS,Android · seafile.com, 20 Sept 2026
- Documentation
- The project maintains administrator manuals, user help pages, installation guides, API references, changelogs and a community forum. · seafile.com, 15 Oct 2026
- File versioning
- Yes · seafile.com, 20 Sept 2026
- File views
- Users can create table, gallery, kanban and map views with filtering, sorting, grouping and hidden properties. · seafile.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Founded
- 2012 · seafile.com, 28 Sept 2026
- Founders and offices
- Seafile says Daniel Pan and Jonathan Xu founded it in 2012 and identifies offices in Beijing, China and Singapore. · seafile.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Free plan
- Yes · seafile.com, 20 Sept 2026
- Funding
- TechCrunch reported in 2023 that Seafile had raised about 1 million yuan in an angel round from Matrix Partners China and was self-sustaining afterward. · techcrunch.com, 15 Oct 2026
- LDAP integration
- Professional Edition can authenticate against LDAP and synchronize LDAP users and groups. · manual.seafile.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Licence details
- The server core is AGPLv3, Seahub is Apache License 2, the desktop client is GPLv2, Android is GPLv3 and iOS is Apache License 2. · github.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: administration
- GetApp review summaries show no ratings for several administrative capabilities, including API, automatic backup, user management and version control. · getapp.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: Android photo sync
- Google Play reviewers report edited local photos may not re-upload automatically and that downloads can be hard to locate in default gallery or file-manager apps. · play.google.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: iOS integration
- Apple reviewers report incomplete Files-app integration, occasional sync or unlock problems, missing dark mode and instability during some uploads. · apps.apple.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: setup and interface
- G2 reviewers repeatedly describe initial self-hosted setup as technical and the interface as less polished or intuitive than cloud competitors. · g2.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Notable release
- Seafile 13.0 launched January 5, 2026 with metadata, multiple views, hierarchical tags, AI, SeaSearch and SeaDoc 2.0. · forum.seafile.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Office integration
- Seafile supports online Office-file viewing and editing through an externally deployed OnlyOffice server. · manual.seafile.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Praise: reliability
- GetApp reviews emphasize rapid, dependable synchronization and low-maintenance operation after setup. · getapp.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Praise: speed and control
- G2 reviewers repeatedly praise fast synchronization, large-file performance, security, version recovery and self-hosting control. · g2.com, 15 Oct 2026
Where Seafile stands on Freedom251
- Cloud storage#1 of 66
- File Sync Software#1 of 28
- File Sharing Software#2 of 47
- Cloud Storage Services#3 of 64
- Cloud Content Collaboration Software#2 of 30