Why I Ditched Google Drive for Nextcloud (And What I Learned)

TL;DR Nextcloud running on my homelab gives me full control of my files, no subscription, no tracking, and actual open-source software. The tradeoff: you manage backups, updates, and troubleshooting. After 8 months, the math works out to roughly /month in electricity vs 5/month for 200GB on Google One — and I actually own my data. The Problem With Google Drive Let me be clear: Google Drive works. For most people, it’s the right answer. The sync Just Works, the mobile apps are solid, and collaborative editing via Google Docs is genuinely convenient. ...

April 14, 2026 · 4 min · 730 words · Jefferson Santander