3 reasons why you should create a personal cloud with CasaOS instead of Nextcloud

by
url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url

Key insights

  • Run a single CasaOS installation script instead of navigating complex terminal commands.
  • Ideal for beginners to learn more about Docker containers.
  • You can even run Nextcloud on CasaOS.



If you've recently joined the self-hosted community, you may have heard of Nextcloud and CasaOS. The former is primarily a file sharing and backup tool, while the latter is more of a self-hosting hub that's equal parts personal cloud, container management frontend, and dashboard.

While it would be foolish to compare platforms that are so different, many users come across these tools for the first time when they're looking for a way to share files without spending money on a dedicated NAS. If sharing files is your main goal, Nextcloud seems to be a better option as the desktop app can even sync files with Nextcloud's servers. But for a versatile personal cloud that runs on your own hardware, I think CasaOS is the ideal platform, and here are three reasons why you should try it at least once before choosing Nextcloud.


3 It's easier to set up

All you need to do is run a single script

Running the CasaOS installation script in a VirtualBox VM

One of CasaOS's greatest strengths is how easy it is to install the platform on your system. For Linux distribution users, you can do the following: wget -qO- https://get.casaos.io | sudo bash Script and watch the magic happen right before your eyes. Meanwhile, Windows 11 team members can deploy a Linux-based virtual machine and run the same command to deploy their own CasaOS server.

Unfortunately, the process at Nextcloud is quite complicated and you need some knowledge of Docker containers to get Docker running on your PC. In fact, the easiest procedure for Nextcloud deployment is to use the Snap Store, which can make setup unnecessarily cumbersome and troubleshooting a real pain. That's before you factor in the additional process of configuring WSL2, which can be quite complex for those new to the self-hosting landscape.


2 Support for Docker containers

A great way for beginners to learn about containerization

Running DDNS Updater as a Docker container in CasaOS

Remember how I mentioned that CasaOS and Nextcloud are very different? While Nextcloud is simply a file hosting platform, CasaOS is a framework focused on self-hosting services and container management. Therefore, it has much more features compared to Nextcloud, including the ability to initialize and manage Docker containers.

Certainly a normal Docker setup is much more reliable than CasaOS. But if you're a newbie to the world of home labs, you can easily learn more about containers and self-hosting thanks to Docker's simple interface. And while we're on the subject…


1 Tons of useful self-hosted apps

You can even run Nextcloud on CasaOS

CasaOS App Store

If you want to edit files, browse RSS feeds, or check your email, Nextcloud has a robust suite of apps. However, since it's intended to facilitate file sharing and document management, Nextcloud's offerings may seem rather limited unless you're just looking for productivity-focused integrations.

In contrast, the CasaOS App Store offers a variety of containers, ranging from simple AdGuard and Plex to more complicated options like Home Assistant and MotionEye. The best part? You can even deploy a Nextcloud container on CasaOS and access all productivity apps from its interface.

CasaOS or Nextcloud: Which do you prefer?


Having experimented with both Nextcloud and CasaOS throughout my self-hosting journey, I have to admit that both are valid options when building self-hosted file sharing servers. Heck, I was even a dedicated Nextcloud user until I decided to check out CasaOS on a whim. And I have to say that the latter can handle many of Nextcloud's tasks without me having to spend half an hour every few weeks setting up or troubleshooting.

For file syncing, the rock-solid Syncthing container is available, while Memos and Immich can handle all your note-taking and media management needs. And if you still crave Nextcloud's clean interface, you can just run it on CasaOS!

Leave a Comment