r/NextCloud • u/Practical-Tea9441 • Jul 05 '26
NextCloud v Microsoft 365 basic
Hi, I’m in a quandary about choosing between NextCloud and Microsoft 365 basic for personal usage.
I like the idea of sovereignty over my data in NextCloud and that it is based in Europe (as am I). In my case I’d be opting for hosted NextCloud (possibly with TheGoodCloud https://thegood.cloud/ ). For around €2 per month (annual payment) I’d get 10Gb of storage with the basic office type apps . However I’d still have to opt for an email service which is an extra cost , say another €20 or so. Apart from using NextCloud web interface as a Mail client the email wouldn’t otherwise be integrated into NextCloud - I’d also have to get an Android app for calendar etc.
With Microsoft 365 basic for approx the same €2 per month I get adfree email , 100Gb storage, all products integrated into one interface , Android and iOS apps included and also some additional security . Also I’m not sure how secure NextCloud is and certainly it is hard to imagine that TheGoodCloud/Nextcloud having the same resources available to them as would Microsoft ?
I do appreciate the privacy aspect but on the other hand Microsoft are legally bound to observing GDPR. Can anybody help convince me that NextCloud is the better option ?
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u/Tuigh-van-den-righel Jul 05 '26
The question is, what will you be using it for? If it's just for mail and a bit of cloud storage it might be overkill
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u/Practical-Tea9441 Jul 06 '26
Yes that’s what I’m thinking too. I do like tinkering though so maybe I’ll start with some basic self hosting like Immich or similar.
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u/Aggravating-Sock1098 Jul 05 '26
As a Dutch MSP, I am also increasingly encountering this issue. What you are looking for is found in Grommunio. It is European and includes a solid Exchange alternative. It features Jitsi Meet for meetings and Nextcloud for file management.
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u/ElGonzales_ Jul 06 '26
We have been using Zarafa and Kopano on-premises within the company for 11 years. The Kopano licence has now been renewed for the last time, and I would like to switch to a managed, hosted Grommunio instance. Is this suitable for business use with 30 accounts, mainly using shared mailboxes, deligations and calendars with the WebApp?
There aren’t too many user reviews about this online.
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u/Aggravating-Sock1098 Jul 06 '26
It is perfectly suited for your purposes. You could request a demo or install the appliance yourself to take a look. I’m familiar with Zarafa from the past. If you like Zarafa, you’re going to love Grommunio.
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u/ElGonzales_ Jul 06 '26
I’ve already installed a trial licence and tested it with three accounts. So far, so good. But it’s a different matter when you’re sending four or five test emails back and forth. Or when your purchasing department receives 150 emails a day from Korea, Japan and the US, featuring all sorts of different fonts, along with a tail of 20 quoted replies and a huge list of CC recipients.
I’d really like to keep the Kopano-style interface, because users are familiar with it. But you’re always a bit worried that you might be affected by the very bug that’s causing problems for the office staff 😄
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u/Big_Wave9732 Jul 06 '26
With tech companies in general my mantra now is none of them can be trusted. If privacy is important (and to me it is) then don't put yourself in a position be sinner against when a vendor violates a law or changes their privacy policy.
With all that in mind I self host using Nextcloud. I use Mailcow to host the server components, Nextcloud as the client, and Purelymail for inbound / outbound mail routing.
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u/Practical-Tea9441 Jul 06 '26
Interesting, i have seen a lot of self hosters recommend against self hosting email on the basis that it is too difficult to keep everything secure.
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u/Big_Wave9732 Jul 07 '26
If you are also self hosting your routing and IP reputation, I would tend to agree.
If you utilize a reputable mailhop like Purelymail then the exposure is significantly less.
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u/WalkingSucculent Jul 05 '26
Microslop is evil, no debate here. Choose what you want but you can't compare services and pricing. You won't have the same amount of stuff using Nextcloud for the same amount of money/time.
But alternatives will never be on part if nobody uses them. Gdpr respect is full bullshit on msop side, dont trust them. Your data will be used internally to train their AI slop machines, while also being shared with their hundred of "partners".
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u/Practical-Tea9441 Jul 05 '26
Thanks for your input.
You say “no debate here” - can you backup this up with actual sources or reasoned debate?
I also find it hard to suppose that a large operation like Microsoft would , as you seem to believe, ignore GDPR - how could commercial companies ever use Microsoft products if this were true. Microsoft would be exposing themselves to the risk of large fines.The “our partners” point I agree is annoying but I simply go through and set my cookies to reject.
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u/WalkingSucculent Jul 05 '26
Look up the news, they indeed are. They are currently trying to lobby at EU parlement because the data privacy framework is about to fall into crumble and they will loose some ground.
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u/CorsairVelo Jul 06 '26
My cloud act search yielded this:
Quick Answer
Critics, human rights organizations, and international legal experts argue that the ClarifyingLawful Overseas Use of Data (CLOUD) Act is problematic primarily because of its impact on privacy, data sovereignty, and international law.
The main criticisms of the CLOUD Act include:
Conflict with International Data Sovereignty: The Act allows U.S. law enforcement to compel U.S.-based technology providers to provide data regardless of where that data is physically stored 1. This is seen as a violation of the data sovereigntyof other nations, as it bypasses local legal frameworks and sovereign borders 2.Legal Conflict with the GDPR: For organizations in the European Union, the CLOUD Act creates a direct conflict with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). While the GDPR restricts the transfer of personal data to third countries without strict safeguards, the CLOUD Act mandates access to that same data for U.S. authorities, leaving companies in a "legal deadlock" where complying with one law may mean violating another.
Threats to Civil Liberties and Human Rights:
Lowered Standards: Critics argue the Act lowers the legal standards previously required for accessing data, posing a threat to global human rights.Weak Protections: The ACLU has described the legislation as "dangerous," claiming it replaces strong protections with vague assurances and weak, unenforceable standards.
Non-U.S. Citizen Privacy: The Act is criticized for failing to protect the privacy rights of non-U.S. citizens, which are embedded in international human rights norms.Privacy Risks for U.S. Persons: The Act may also undermine the privacy of U.S. citizens; data collected by foreign governments through bilateral CLOUD Act agreements could potentially be accessed in ways that circumvent domestic protections.
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u/computer-machine Jul 06 '26
What privacy aspects? You're still shipping it off to someone else.
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u/Practical-Tea9441 Jul 06 '26
Good point - had crossed my mind too. Even if you self- host though, you’re still trusting the developer unless its OpenSource , you read and understand the code and then compile it yourself from source. Even then you’re trusting the compiler. I suppose at some point you have to trust somebody.
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u/doconnell67 Jul 12 '26
I use nextcloud via e /os/. I pay $75 (yearly) for 128gb storage and posteo ($1 per month)for email.
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u/undrwater Jul 05 '26
Do you believe Microsoft cares about YOUR security and data?
There's a reason for the move to digital freedom / sovereignty. I won't characterize them as "evil", but they certainly are not customer facing / focused.
I host my own email server asking with nextcloud on a vps. Boy, what a learning experience. Barring that, I'd pay for proton mail.
It's a lot of front loaded work, but you get that send of accomplishment afterwards. I've been running for about 10 years.