Comparison

Nextcloud vs Microsoft 365

Microsoft 365 is the standard for many organisations. But a growing number of SMEs are asking whether that dependence on an American company is still wise. What are the real differences?

View the comparison
European servers Open source GDPR-compliant Dutch roots

Two complete workplaces, fundamentally different approaches

Microsoft 365 and Nextcloud both deliver a complete digital workplace: email, storage, documents, calendar, video calling. On the surface they look similar. But the way they work is fundamentally different.

Microsoft 365 is a closed cloud platform. Your data is stored on Microsoft’s servers, spread across datacentres worldwide, including the United States. Microsoft sets the prices, the terms and what happens to your data. Between 2022 and 2025 Microsoft raised the price of 365 three times. For many organisations that is now a significant cost.

Nextcloud is open source software on your own server. The data is in Europe, under your control. The server costs are fixed per month, regardless of how many employees you have. And if Nextcloud were to shut down tomorrow (which it will not, but suppose): all your data remains available on your own server.

That is the difference between renting and owning.

comparison

Nextcloud vs Microsoft 365: point by point

Our choice Nextcloud via OwnbaseMicrosoft 365 Business
Costs Fixed server price (from € 20 per month) €6-22 per user per month
Costs for 10 employees from €25-35/mth total ~€60-220/mth total
Data location European server, your choice Microsoft datacentres worldwide
CLOUD Act risk None (not an American company) Applicable
GDPR compliance Full, data processing agreement included Possible, but CLOUD Act risk
Open source Yes, fully transparent No, closed software
Vendor lock-in None, open standards High, Microsoft ecosystem
Price increases None (server price stable) Raised 3 times between 2022 and 2025
Document editing OnlyOffice (.docx/.xlsx/.pptx) Microsoft Office Online
Email Via IMAP provider connection Exchange Online included
Video calling Nextcloud Talk Microsoft Teams
File storage On own server, unlimited On own server, unlimited
Management required Yes, we handle it for you Microsoft manages the cloud
AI features (Copilot) Limited via open source plugins Microsoft Copilot (+€30/mth)
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When to choose what

Nextcloud or Microsoft 365: when do you choose which?

Nextcloud is a better fit when...

You work with personal data and want to demonstrate GDPR compliance without hassle.
You do not want to depend on the pricing decisions of an American company.
Your organisation is growing and you want to avoid rising licence costs.
Privacy is part of your proposition to clients (health, legal, financial).
You want maximum control over where your data is stored and who can access it.

Microsoft 365 is a better fit when...

Your organisation relies heavily on advanced Exchange features or Teams telephony.
Employees work intensively with complex macros and VBA in Excel.
You collaborate with large clients who use SharePoint as their platform.
You want no technical responsibility whatsoever, not even indirectly.

Honest advice comes before a sales pitch

We are not a reseller of Nextcloud. We are advisers. If after the assessment we conclude that Microsoft 365 or another solution is a better fit, we will say so. An assessment costs a fixed price and always delivers a concrete report.

Want to find out what the switch would mean for your organisation?

The assessment maps out your current ICT situation and delivers a concrete migration plan with costs. Always a fixed price, never an open end.

Schedule a free introduction